The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-31
WOULD BAR
ZION'S CHIEF
And Place Him Under Immi.
grafton Ban.
PROCEEDINGS ARE ON FOOT
Chicago Lawyer IL Prominent In the Con
temp'ated Movement - Was Once
Convicted of Crime In New
South Wales.

South wales.
Chicago, Aug. 20 The Chronicle pub
fishes the following:
John Dowie's exclusion from the
United States under the emigration
laws on the claim that he was once
convicted Of a crime in q foreign coun-
try, New South Wales, Is being sought
by Joel w. Stevens, Chicago attor-
ney, and others, who were formerly
identified with the Zion movement. Mr..
Stevens yesterday began the circula-
tion Of a petition directed to Terrence
v. Powderly, Commissioner Of emigra-
ton, seeking the permanent separation
Of Mr.. Dowie from his flock.
The general overseer of the Christ
ian Catholic Church is at present So
Journing in England, where he is in
specting the lace manufactures in
preparation for installing a similar
plant at the proposed city of Zion
near Waukegan. Thence he is to 60 to
Palestine.
A precedent for Mr.. Dowie's exclu-
sion Is found in the recent refusal on
the part Of Commissioner Powderly to
allow Fitzharris and Mullett, the
Phoenix park assassins, to land at
New York. Though they had been
pardoned by the queen, the United
States authorities insisted that it was
their original conviction that barred
them and that the emigration laws
took no cognizance of a subsequent re-
lease. DR.. Dowie and his followers ad-
init his Incarceration at New South
Wales, but deny that 1t was for any
other reason than for preaching in the
public streets, which at that time was
forbidden by city ordinance.
IT'S SERIOUS BUSINESS.
Mr.. Stevens and his fellow urgers
Of the petition declare that the alleged
crime was Of a character tha. brings 1t
into the category of serious, though It's
nature they refuse for the present to
divulge. Their chief authority is the
statement Of a New South Wales min
lister who, in 1892. on the occasion Of a
visit to this country, gave wide circu-
lation to q charge against Zion's
leader. At the time he offered to
| make q full statement of the affair If
Mr.. Dowie would challenge the declara-
ton that he had been imprisoned on a
serious charge.
Mr.. Dowie, in his efforts to secure add
| mission, will be Handicapped seriously
by the fact that he is not a citizen of
the United States. He has been a resi-
| dent for nearly ten years, the greater
part of which was spent liz Chicago.
Whenever the subject was approached
he invariably answered that he was a
| 'citizen Of the world" and as general
| overseer of the Christian Catholic
church could not be to closely identi-
fled with one country. Mr.. Dowies
claim to admission on the ground that
he is the possessor Of considerable
property and that the charges have
been allowed to lie latent for ten years
will probably have weight.
HE IS NOT A CITIZEN.
"Dowie will never return to his
country if the laws are properly en-
forced" said Mr.. Stevens. II admit
that If he had become citizen there
would be some question, but he is en-
titled to no more claim on the country
than he was ten years ago. Dowie
was convicted of serious crime ter
years ago, and when the proper time
comes we will lay the matter before the
case of the Phoenix park murders es-
tablishes an excellent precedent ir
| fact"
| When the statement was made pub.
lie and in print by the minister from
New South Wales, Mr.. Dowie announ.
ced that he would make reply at Cen.
trail Music hall to the allegations OF
the visitor. A counter statement ap'
peared the following day over the sig.
nature of Mr.. Dowie's -townsmen de-
claring that in the event of a denial he
would make clear the nature of the al.
legged offense.
The general overseer appeared as an.
nounced at Central Music hall and ac.
cording to some Of those present, made
no direct denial. Instead, 1t is said, he
entered into a general vindication Of
itinerant preachers who meet with in,
convenient laws and whose laws an6
whose prosecutions some times misrep.
resented them in the eyes Of the world
AN INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Stevens, whose hatred for the
faith-healer has long been at white
heat, has been in communication with
the minister at New South Wales fol
some time. The name Of this accusel
could not be obtained last night eithel
from Mr.. Stevens or any of Mr.. Dowie's
friends. 1t is supposed, however. thai
Mr.. Stevens has made himself the pos.
SCISSOR Of the material which the visit.
ing minister threatened at the time t.
exploit.
1