The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-09
They Will Collect Their Claims
or There Will Be .
Trouble.
CRIMINAL ACTION Is ..
AMONG POSSIBILITIES
Minneapolis Attorney Drops Into
Zion, Creating CONSERVATION
Among Elders.

Trouble is in store for Alexander
"Eliiah' Dowie's Zion City enter
prises because of the claims of two
Minneapolitans who are making a de-
for the amounts they allege to be due
them. The Minneapolis claims amount
to over $4,000, covering lace, sugar
and bank-stock bonds issued by the en-
terprises, and are being pushed by
Ayers & Mcdonald Of Minneapolis,
W. H. Mcdonald being in Chicago to
push the case In addition. the Min
neapolis attorneys have an open account
claim from other persons of over $4,000,
the total of the two claims being close
to $50 900. When seen today Mr.. Ayers
of the firm said:
"Our claims must be paid in full or
we will force Zion City into involuntary
bankruptcy, or even more, criminal pro
eeedings may be instituted against
Dowie, and he will be brought back to
this country. Gross irregularities in
the management Of the funds OF Zion,
which are but trust funds, have been
going on. We admit that the bonds OF
our Minneapolis clients are not ma
tured, being twenty-year bonds, but The
ally and the fact that the interest is
past due and unpaid, gives ample reason
for our action in law.
Zion Is Disturbed.
- According to press dispatches, the
Minneapolis claims created wild despair
in lions financial circles yesterday,
when Mr.. Mcdonald appeared to pre-
s sent them A meeting was In session
ats which startling revelations of Zion
Gityss financial and industrial Scondl.
ton were made by Overseer .Voliva
The Minneapolis claim was the last
straw, apparently, coming at the time
it did and being coupled with a threat
of criminal proceedings against Dowle
The Minneapolis residents whose
claims are causing the trouble are real l!
ly subjects Of Great Britain me Alol
securities were bought in England, thF
majority of them being lace bonds
which were bought at par. The interes
due and unpaid on them since. Jan.
amounts to 5000, it is said: After
conference with Overseer- Vollva am
Others, the claim.was referred to Judg'
Barnes, the city's legal representative
who refused to grant the request, say
ing that the interest would be honoret
be redeemed The Irregularities alleget
are laid to Dowie, who, it is said, al
lowed large tracts of land held on con
tracts on which over $35, 900 had bee1
paid. to revert to the original owners
and who also took large amounts O.
the trust funds for the purchase OF tn
other lands in old Mexico.
Judge Barnes is quoted as saying tina
- no difficulty need be feared from tn
Minneapolis claim, and that the bond
in question were the property of apps
tate members of the community. 1t
announced here, however,, that tn
claims will be pushed and that troubl
: is to follow unless the full amount Q
the bonds and the back interest
. Forthcoming at once. It is believe
that an attempt will be made to settl
by payment of the interest, which, how
ever, will not be accepted.
Dowie Weak in Business.
Zion g affairs generally are said to
in bad shape. It is understood tina
Dowie will never be associated in an
way again with the active financial al
fairs of Zion. AS business man hi
failure is patent to his supporters an
his return to power in that department
they declare would be a SCATTERING blo7
to the hopes of the business council.
Overseer Voliva has called for a COZ
tribution of 100000 to put the Dowi
interests on their feet and announce
that the Zionists are coming to til
front with generous subscriptions. Coul
ellis are held daily in the hope Of resto
ing confidence and order. While th
conferences are in progress the elder
all over Zion are praying for the SUI
cess of the new regime which they hoL
will relieve them of much of the abs,
lutte deprivation of the last few month
Alexander, the prophet, is meanwhi
In F,urone ...-