The Colorado statesman., 1906-04-07
DO VIE PLUCKED.
PROPERTY SOLD UNDER POWER
OF ATTORNEY.
ACCUSED AND THREATENED
Once Powerful Prophet ana Leader
Shorn of His Possessions and Aban-
doned in Mexico-No One to Speak
Word in His Behalf.

Word in His Behalf.
Chicago.-John Alexander Dowie,
head of the christian Catholic Church
in Zion," was to-day Monday deposed
as a religious leader, suspended from
membership in the church he founded.
shorn of his temporal possessions SO
far as they are located in Zion City.
the home of his church, and warned to
accept the situation quietly lest worse
things befall him.
The active revolt against the leader
ship of Dowie was foreshadowed yes
terday when Overseer Wilbur G. Vol
| iva, who had been placed by Dowie in
| charge of the church while he sought
health in Jamaica and Mexico, an
| nounced that he would no longer ac-
cept the orders of Dowie who had, he
declared, grossly mismanaged the af-
| fairs of the church. The members of
| the church, including the wife and sou
of Dowie, agreed to stand with Voliva.
The first movement looking to his
overthrow was made early to-day by
| Overseer Voliva, who has a power of
attorney from Dowie. In company
with several other officers of the
church, Voliva hastened to Wau-
| lxegan, the county seat of Lake county,
in which Zion City is situated, and
filed for record a warranty deed trans
ferring to Deacon Alexander Granger
| all the real estate held by Dowie in
| Zion City He also executed a bill OF
sale to Deacon Granger putting him
in possession of all the personal prop
erty of Dowie, including his horses and
carriages, books, and even his bed
Later in the day Granger conveyed
these to Voliva, and at nightfall the
overseer appointed by Dowie had not
only succeeded him as the head of the
church, but was the holder of all his
property as well.
The following message was sent to
| Dowie informing him of the change in
the situation:
"Dowie, Ocotlan, Jalisco, Mexico
Telegram received here and Chicago
Practically all, including Cincinnati's
reports, indorse Voliva's administra
ton, Speichers reinstatement, Grain
gers retention, emphatically protest
ing against your extravaganza, hypoc
| racy, Misrepresentation, eXaggera
tions, tyranny and injustice. You are
| hereby suspended from office and mem
bership for polygamous teaching and
other grave charges. See letter. Qui
| etly retire. Further interference will
| precipitate complete exposure, rebel
lion, legal proceedings. Your state
, ment of stupendously magnificent
financial outlook is extremely foolish
in view of thousands suffering through
| your shameful mismanagement. Zion
and creditors will be protected at all
costs"
The message was signed by w. G.,
Voliva, general overseer; William H.
] Piper, overseer for Chicago; H. E,
! Cante overseer for United Kingdom;
H. d. Brasfield, vice president Zion
university; Overseer John Excel, gen
eral ecclesiastical secretary and John
G. Speicher, overseer for Zion City.
After sending the cablegram to
Dowie Overseer Voliva discussed the
proceedings of the day. He said:
81 have acted in this matter under
the power of attorney which l pos
sessed. What has been done | believe
to be for the good of the church in
Zion City and for its creditors. Legal
counsel has been retained, and every
thing was carried out in accordance
with their advice We shall go ahead
and put the affairs of Zion City in good
order If further steps are taken II
will depend on what is done by Dowie
The situation is up to him as II
| stands"
Regarding the polygamous teachings
mentioned in the message to Dowle
| Overseer Voliva said he would issue a
statement regarding them later when
Dowie had been given an opportunity
to reply. He said, however, that the
teachings had not been of public
character.
Deacon Speicher. who first became
n convert to the faith of the Zion City
church as n physician, declared to-day
that Dowie is very sick man. suffer
ing from pulmonary trouble, paralysis
and dropsy and occasional delirium.
1t is generally believed by the ofh
GERS of the church that the depossd
leader will make a fight to recover hi,
lost power If this is done, they as
serted to-day, the matter would go to
the courts. Dowie's project of the
establishment of colony in Mexico
will be abandoned by the new admins
| tration.
Dowie will be given an allowance
according to advices from Zion City
tonight, sufficient to maintain resi-
dence in Mexico, if he so desires, oil
he will be received by the new officers
of the church as a common citizen,
should he elect to return and take UP
his residence in Zion City. No action
under the criminal laws will be taken
against him on account of the funds he
is alleged to have wasted. nor will any
civil action be brought to recover.
If the deposed leader becomes OBJ
streperous. however, it was said that
his son, Gladstone. was prepared to
make revelations that would startls
the world"