The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-27
His Mother a Noble Woman Who Was
Treated Shamefully by the One
She Married.
REAL FATHER OF J. A. DowIE,
ACCORDING TO THE LATTER. WAS A
BRITISH ARMY OFFICER,
to Scotch Law--A Sensational
Address.

NEW YORK. Oct. %.-In broken voice.
with tears streaming down his face and his
body shaking with emotion. John Alex
ander Dowie stood or the platform in Mad
ison-square Garden tonight before an atldi-
eice of 10000 persons and announced that in
truth he was not the son of John Murray
Dowie, of Essex, Ia, from whom he takes
his patronymic. but OF a British army
officer by a Scotch marriage. He heaped
vilification and denunciation upon John
Murray Dowie, whom he declared had
made his mother believe her marriage to
Dowie's father was shameful and the army
officer having been taken away by his rela-
tives his mother in the first flush of her
shame had sought to give her son a name
by marrying John Murray Dowie.
The revelation was made at the end of an
hours TRADE against the press OF this city.
its treatment of his work and himself being
styled a Conspiracy Of falsehood." and the
reporters denounced as yellow dogs poi
sonous reptiles who have wrecked thou
sands OF homes and broken thousands of
hearts"
He led up to the publication this morning
OF extracts from letters passing between
himself and John Murray Dowie. indicating
Dowie's renunciation of the latter as a par
ent and which were responsible for the gem
erai overseer's partial exposition OF the
great secret of his life. Shouting at one
moment in fit of violent rage al the news
papers Mr. Dowie would the next moment
speak in the most gentle voice of his mother
and wife. The great audience was moved
by his evident emotion. Women wept and
at times bursts of applause greeted his
declarations.
ATTEMPT AT BLACKMAIL.
Dowie announced that just one year ago
he had addressed meeting in Chicago. at
which he had told Of an attempt TO black
mail by a writing from Boston. who
claimed TO have certain letters which had
passed between himself and Jchn Murray
Dowie. THAT man wrote me-" said Mr..
Dowie that the letters, if published. might
cause me annoyance. and in the generosity
of his heart said that for sl.ooo he would
turn them over TO me instead Of 10 Chi
cago newspaper. Garbled extracts from
these letters were published in a paper IN
this city this morning. | challenge that
paper TO produce the original letters. what
extracts, distorted quotations and largely
pure concoction. obtained either from the
man who tried TO blackmai me a year ago.
got from John Murray Dowie by him, at
Essex. Ia or else John Murray Dowie,
poor, wicked man, was so far lost to me as
TO sell the letters of him who he falsely
said was his son. These letters have come
either by robbery sin much deeper and
more wicked the basest of all SIM.
Mr.. Dowie was becoming greatly excited,
and tramped the platform with nervous
steps, his frame ouivering with the in
tensity of his emotion.
''The best proof that John Murray Dowie
was not my father is. he shrieked, that
he has given up my letters 10 him, rebuk-
| ing him for the most terrible sin a man
could ever commit. in my Judgment. Were
ff fnOf my n n m
| there is one, the dearest, sweetest. purest
| woman that ever was, who is now ten
years, thank God, In heaven-my mother
| / denounce the publication of those letters
| because thy are false in many parts, large
extracts being omitted. thereby distorting
| the meaning OF the rest
WITNESSES SUMMONED.
| Mr. Dowie up TO this point had told the
history of the letters from his knowledge.
and explained that he had laid the matter
a year ago before some of his high church
| officials. He called out overseer V. V.
Barnes, formerly judge in South Dakota.
and now judicial arbitrator OF Zion and
| general counsel. and Charles j. Barnard.
lions financial agent.
Have 1 told the truth, Elder Barnes"
/ asked Mr.. Dowie.
| You have stated the facts TO my knowl-
| edge" was the reply.
Have / told the truth. Elder Barnard?"
he asked of the financial agent.
Its true, general overseer; every word
| Is true" that elder replied
Oyerseer Excel also verified the truth of
Mr.. Dowie's statements Then with dra-
recital of the facts behind the letters.
| Now that this has come before the world"
| determined years ago that IL ever IL must
come out, wherever L was, no matter what
the assemblage. l should tell my story.
4 MY mother was a noble woman. She WAS
1 greatly beloved by the privates and officers
of one of the foremost regiments OF the
British army. Our home was near the post
/ nected with the army for centuries. I sup
\ posed / was the son OF John Murray Dowie.
who now lives IN Essex Iowa; os,,d ana h never ever
my father He was mean and hypocritical.
/ and as the years rolled on he grew worse.
/ | had no sympathy for him. For many
| years / did not see John Murray Dowie
| Then evil times came upon him. and at
my own expense l brought him from Aus
house one day he became i'll. He dared
not call upon God TO save him, and as L
was passing his door he called me in He
| recover nor will God ever hear you. be-
cause your religion has been sham.
wiII have TO confess. He said in a an falfer.
| ing voice: John. that's true; but am 30
| sick l cannot tell you now. but will IL
| help me- / have prayed and John Murray
| Dowie was saved. One day later he gave
me some papers which explained every
ROBBED OF BIRTHRIGHr.
at knew that had been robbed OF nv
birthright by that villain sitting in front
of me: / knew that / was not his son:
! knew that he had married my mother I'm
March and that ! had been born In May.
And with the knowledge that had como 80
strangely TO me / saw also that my good.
noble mother had been tricked into scotch
! CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 COL II