The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-26
OPPOSED APOSTLE
 IN MORE TROUBLE
Bankruptcy Proceedings Are
 Institaied Against Him
IS HIS SECOND EXPERIENCE
Dowie's Legal Advisers Declare He Is Solvent and That Proceedings Will Serve to Prove the
 Assertion.

Chicago April 25.-Involuntary bank ruptey proceedings were started late this afternoon against John Alexander Dowie Individually before Judge K. M. Landis. Ransom r. Walker is one of the petition ing creditors. He is guardian of the es- tate of Ethel B. Foley. minor. and con- servator of William T. Foley The claims involved amount to 5000 The petition all Ieges on March Dowie transferred prop erty valued al s12OO 10 Margaret H. Fiel- dar. and that on January 10 other prop erty was transferred to James Hirsch. thus showing preference to these credi- tors over others which is alleged to be in violation of the bankruptcy law Dowie's liabilities are not actually known at this time His assets are said to be about $2. 300 GOO
 The court set the matter for hearing next Monday morning.
 Threatens to Disrupt Zion.
 The action taken today threatens to dis rupt Zion City in its present unsettled state and friends of the various insti- tutions controlled by the Christian Cath oic church in Zion fear that such serious complications may arise that Dowie's ven ture in building a model city cannot bear this additional burden.
 The filing of the petitions also places some knotty points of law before tho court for an untangling.
 The Zion City property estimated any where from $15 000, 600 to $20 000, ,000 is now claimed by two factions of the church., and if the courts step in one of the warm est contests the bankruptcy court has ever seen will develop.
 Early this year when Dowie was in Jamaica. where he went in search of health, he sent his power of attorney to General Oyerseer Wilbur Glen Voliva.
 Under this power of attorney when the break occurred a month ago between Voliva and Dowie. the latters property was transferred by Voliva to Financial Manager Alexander Granger. The present status is that Granger claims the prop erty as agent of the Dowetes, while Dowie is attacking the transfer in the courts and has sought an injunction re- straining Voliva and Granger from in- terfefipg with him.
 fsefore a receiver Is appointed on the petition in bankruptcy filed today, the United States court will endeayor to de- temine who has the proper title to the property. If Nolva's claim Is legitimate. the federal courts could not assume ju- risdiction for creditors because the bank ruptcy petition runs against Dowie in- dividually. Should Dowie's claim to title
  session. The petition, therefore, presents a three-cornered fight which from pres ent indications promises to be long drawn out
 Second Expe With Bankruptcy.
 This is the second time since he founded Zion City that John Alexander Dowie has been attacked in bankruptcy in the United States courts. December l. 1903. similar petition was filed against Dowie and Judge Kohlsaat. then in the United States district court appointed two re- ceivers to take charge of Zion City and all It's industries. Dowie fought against the proceedings vigorously and succeeded in having the receivers discharged. An advisory committee of creditors was then appointed. This committee still exists un- der the old proceedings. but they have nothing to do. Since the discharge of the receivers Dowie. it is said. has paid off every dollar of the s4o0.o00 of indebted ness then involved in the case.
 Dowie's legal advisers declare that he is solvent beyond question. and that the bankruptcy proceedings will serve to prove this assertion.