The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-11
WARRING HARMoNlsTs.

PlTTSBURG. Pa. Feb. 9-The long-look-
ed for legal battle is on IN the Harmony
society. A bill in equity was filed at
Beaver today in behalf OF Benjamin
Feucht aud others against President
John Duss and other members of the
society, praying for the appointment of a
receiver to wind up the affairs of the COM
munity; second for an injunction restrict
ing Trustees Duss and Sieber from en-
cumbering, selling or assigning the prop
erty and assets of the society; third,
that said trustees be ordered TO account
IN full for the assets since their manage
ment; fourth that DusS and SIeber be
ordered to pay over to tue receiver the
amount of the losses sustained under
their management; fifth, that an order be
made for the dissolution of the Harmony
society and a division OF the assets.
Feucnt and all the other petitioners are
mem bers of the society. In the petition
gross nismauagement on the part of the
trustees Is alleged.
The petition sets fourth that the origin
al society has property valued at 81, 900, 0O0,
! a great deal of this has been lost, and the
petitioners now believe that the society IS
insolvent 1t is also alleged that the
principles Of the society have become obso-
lete; that Duss aEd Sieber are living in
luxury with their wives, whereas the main
princip pie of the organization is celibacy;
that the other mem mbers of the society are
compelled to exc out precarious existences;
also, that the mem bers of the board OF
elders are confirmed drunkards instead of
spiritual leaders Duss, it IS alleged, has
sought to cast discredit upon the teach
ings of thsfounder of the society and has
conrted fellowship with Michael l.. Mills,
commonly known as Prince Michael" of
Detroit.
An afternoon paper is authority for the
statement that the commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania has entered the legal battle
for possession of the immense wealth OF
the Economic society. The matter IS now
in the hands of the states attorney gen
eral and will be prosecuted by the ablest
legal talent. Proceedings commenced at
once and will be far-reaching in results. If
successful they involve an absolute sur
render OF all the property OF the society,
and its confscation by the state 1t Will
be proceeding in escheat, based on es-
tablished precadents of eminent legal au-
thority and the act of the assembly Tor
bidding the conducting OF societies whose
principles are at variance with public Gus
tom and against the spirit of the constltu-
tion. 1t is claimed that sufficient author
ity has been obtained to disrupt the cell
bate community and to turn It's goods ana
chattelS over to the state treasurer.
The proceedings have no connection
with the suit filed in the Beaver county
courts today by the Economics asking for
a receiver to wind up the affairs of the
organization On the contrary, the two
battles will be fought on entirely different
lines, the issues being contrary and detrl-
mental to each other. 1t is claimed by the
state that there are no legal heirs to the
Economic estate now living and that the
present corporation is simply a joint
partnership, with no authority of law TO
conduct the affairs and hold the property
of the society