Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-16
HA, MONDAY MORNING, APRIL 16, 100
EVIDENCE AGAINST DR.. DOWIE
Two Years ARo HIS ADVISERS Told Him
His Financial ore rations would
Land Him ~ Prison.

CHICAGO. April 15.-Geueral Overseer
Wilbur Glenn Voliva produced. the first
Of his batch Of documentary evidence today
from which he hopes to confound John
Alexander Dowie and his followers who
are endeavoring to regain control OF Zion
City The instrument was a letter written
under date Of April 1S, 1904 and addressed
to Or" Dowie. who was then in Zurich.
Switzerland The letter was signed by
Overseer John c. Spclcher, Charles J. Ber-
nard and Judge V V. Barnes.
In the document they warned Dowie that
unless he changed his ways in the manage
ment Of Zion City clash was inevitable.
They stated that from their examination
of the conduct of the affairs OF the colony
II was evident that Dowie had overdrawn
his accounts at the bank in Zion City, that
he had received deposits when he knew
that the bank was insolvent, that he had
used funds otherwise than in accordance
with the representations made in connec-
ton with the contracts and certificates
and that the proof Of the appropriation Of
such large sums for his own personal use
and for ends outside of the industries
named would be tantamount TO convic-
ton Of embezzlement in any court Of law.
The letter further imDlored Dowie to ex-
self and his family. saying that expendi-
lures to this end should be based on needs
rather than upon a fictitious income
The inhabitants Of Zion City anticipating
that such a letter would be read. flocked
to the tabernacle at an early hour. and
long before the services opened the big
building was filled. II was not until after
tho regular Faster ceremonies had been
gone through with that the sensation was
sprung. and then General Oversecr Voliva
requested that Overseer Brazefield read the
letter in question. When Deacon Brazefleld
read that section of the letter which said
there is no doubt for a moment that
failure to meet payments and an exposure
Of the true condition of things would land
yourself and the asher and general nnan-
clal manager in jail very promptly" the
audience signifed its approval of the senti-
ment expressed by vigorous applause. The
letter continued.
THE standard of Zion City cannot be
lower than that set by the business world
outside. Your safest place would be here
at once. There is but one country outside
and that is Chill, where you would be safe
from the attacks that would be made, and
the situation here would be hazardous IL
you continue your policy. The using Of
tun0S OtnerWlSe tnan IN accordance with
the representations made by the stock con-
tracts and certificates and the proofs OF the
appropriation of such large sums to your
own personal use and for ends outside OF
the Industries named. including what has
been done at Ben MacDhui. would be
tantamount to a conviction"
The letter concludes as follows: "such
is the extent of Zion that nowhere in the
civilized world will you be without the pale
Of the extradition law. Your business en-
terprises have connections in every land,
and hence in every country a venue can
be laid on a criminal clerge''
General Overseer voliva then called
Deacon Newcomb. who was one OF the
party that was travelling with Dowie az
the time the letter was directed to the
first apostle" Deacon Newcomb stated
that the letter was received by Dowie In
Zurich, but that Dowie first spoke of the
document to him while they were travelling
in France. He stated that the FIRST
apostle" flew into a great passion when he
discussed the epistle and stated that the
policies he had inaugurated must prevail
Dowie spent a quiet Sunday in this city
and presided over simple Easter ceremo-
nies which were participated in by few
OF his faithful followers at the Auditorium
Annex.
The attorneys for both sides said that
conferences would be resumed tomorrow
/ and that there were yet hopes that basis
for an amicable settlement would be
reached.