Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-03
.DOWlE IS
UNHORSED
ELIJAH THE SELF STYLED
REACHES THE END OF HIS
ROPE
VOLIVA Is NEW LEADER
Mrs. DowIe and the UnkIssed Glad
stone Repudiate the Old Leader and
Mrs. DowIe Declares He Is Insane
Property Is Transferred.

ASo6O, Splll G.-l llC open E6VOlt
against John Alexander Dowie, which
took place yesterday, was followed to-
day by the transfer Of all the public
property Of the church Of Zion to AL
exander Granger, the man whose dis
m1ssal had been directed by Dowie In
telegram from Mexico.
Late In the day cablegram was
sent to Dowie in Mexico announcing
that he had been suspended from the
church that he founded. He, it Is de.
clared, advised some Of his followers
to practice polygamy, and charges OF
extravaganza and mismanagement are
also made against him.
At meeting Sunday Of 5000 ad
herents of the Christian Catholic
church in Zion, of which John Alexan
der Dowie is the founder and apostle
Dow1e's authority was repudiated, and
Wilbur Glenn Voliva, who for some
tlme has been conducting the affairs
OF the church, was elected in his stead
Mrs. Dowie also repudiated her hus
band. and the son. Gladstone Dowie
cast his lot with his mother and the
new leader, Voliva.
Dowie Is Denounced.
Most of the officials of the church
were present at the meeting. and Dow,
ie was denounced by many of these as
having deceived them, and having
wasted their money in extravaganza
The meeting, however refused to hold
that he had knowingly erred.
John G.. Speicher, the former over
seer and once second in command tc
Dowie, who was recently deposed per
emptorily, declared Dowie to- be iii
sane. Mrs. Dowie, in her address, also
upheld that declaration.
The casting off OF the authority OF
Dowie followed the receipt Sunday OF
an 800 word telegram from Dowie. who
1s In Mexico, in which he peremptorily
ordered the immediate discharge of
Deacon Alexander Granger, financial
manager of Zion, who has been one of
the most aggressive leaders in the
effort to put the affairs of the church
on a secure foundation. Dowie also
announced in the telegram that let.
ter would follow, in which other Off.
cials were named for disposition.
A meeting of the Zion Council of
Twelve followed Immediately and ii
was decided to place the affairs of the
church before the members and settle
for all time the question of leadership,
Overseer Voliva read the long tele-
gram from Dowie A few faint efforts
of applause greeted the reading, which
was followed by a storm Of cheers for
the leader of Zion as he announced
that he refused to remove Alexander
Granger from office.
Authority Is Repudlated.
The completion of Dowie's overthrow
as leader followed.
One after another John G. Spelcher
Jane Dowie, wife of the first apostle,
Deacon Yorder of Cincinnati, Over.
seer P. e. Cantel and others denounced
and repudiated the authority and
leadership of Dowie.
Although Dowie's authority in the
church has been repudiated, scores OF
the industries and homes of Zion City
stand upon land the titles Of which
are in Dowie's names.
William Glenn Voliva, the new lead.
er Of the church, was born in Indiana
in 1870 and has been in the ministry
of the church since 1889. He was
ordained an overseer in 1901 and soon
afterwards was sent to Australia.