Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-30
HISTORY OF DOWIE'
How the aHealer'' Rose From Prison
to Palace.
AT ONE TINE He OCCUPIED A CELL
Was An Australian Prisoner But Is
Now at Head of Propasanda-Story
of His career--says He Will Never
Be Crushed.

Ottumwa people, as well as people
In every part of the country, have been
aroused by the laying bare of the
plans followed by DR.. John Dowie, the
healer" which resulted from
the coroners inquest over the
remains of Mrs. Emma Lucy
Judd, who died a follower Of
the Dowie faith. Interest in the man
himself has reached the state where
people inquire about his past life, and
what is learned is not at all compli-
mentary to him. 1t develops that
from a penniless prisoner in an Aus
tralian prison "Dowieism" has chang
ed him to president of bank, owner
of fortune Of $5,00o.000, proprietor
of the greatest religious city planned
since the Mormons settled in Utah,
car of a faith cult numbering 10000
followers, head of college," pub
Usher of newspaper, and owner of
hospitals" In thirteen years, John
A. Dowie, convict, has become "Dr. :"
John Alexander Dowie, millionaire,
wearer of royal purple robes, "empe-
ror OF zion," faith healer, defer OF the
state legislature.
Thirteen years ago John A. Dowie
came near riding on rail in the
town of Sydney, Australia. Today he
rides forth in his private carriage at
tended by footmen. When he jour-
neys outside the city he goes in a pri-
vate car, attended by corps of re-
tainers. Thirteen years ago the pris-
on authorities of Australia were ready
to take his photograph by force; few
months ago he paid $500 for "heroic"
photograph of himself, picture eight
feet high, taken by the largest camera
| in the world. When he began crying
his religious wares in Chicago in 1892
he preached in rickety, one-storied
frame building at Stony Island avenue
and Sixty-second street. Today he
controls hotels" "synagogues," bak.
cries, shops, stores and homes" in
numbers along Michigan avenue, be-
tween Twelfth and Sixteenth streets,
and in the intersecting thoroughfares.
Out at Waukegan 6,400 acres of land,
held by Alexander Dowie, is being
cleared for the raising of Zion City.
| Within the great house which is to be
occupied by Or" John Alexander Do
vie, General Overseer of the Chris
tian Catholic Church in zion," is to be
placed $4,000 worth of furniture.
''The Pope of Rome has a palace
and magnificent furniture" said Dowie
recently, because he is the head of a
great church. I am the head of a
church, too. SO why should not have
the same kind of things?"
] Source of Dowie's Wealth.
John Alexander Dowie has never
] LOFT a xrr1o h. nov frr,r
which created all these things and put
4 them in his name. This question is
4 now being answered as the result oil
the recent revolt, Of many elders
and "evangelists" from the faith OF
Dowieism. The explanation is made
Iby the Rev. Samuel H. Stokes, one ol
the revolters.
thousands of dollars day are
i gathered in by John Alexander Dowie
as the 'tithes' and offerings Of poor
4 deluded souls in all parts of the coun
try. He seeks to get all the money h
can put his hands on. The money o
the rich and poor is grasped by him.
Into the hands of Dowie each weel
goes at least ten per cent of the earn
ings of every follower OF Dowieism
He claims that from $4,000 to $4,000
, men and women pay these offering
over to him. What the amounts re
, ceived each day, each week, or eacf
year aggregate is known only tt
Dowie.
! In return, those who obey his order
, blindly receive his injunctions as t
!, what constitutes holy living"
], Holy living" says Dowie, mean
no smoking, no drinking of liquors, NJ
going to theaters, no joining secret sc
cieties, no taking of medicines o
, drugs"
J Believing in the efficacy of praye
: and Dowie for every human i'll, the
, may die in pain. without medical at
tendance, as did Mrs. Emma Luc
/ Judd and Mrs. Louisa Christensen
whose deaths are now being invest
gated by the coroner states attorney
! This is held by Dowie to be part o
, the faith"
Encouraged by his advancement
proud Of his public claims that he cha