The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-04
DUE TO JEALOUSY
Primary Cause of the Downfall
of John Alexander DOwie
Is His Relations With Women
Other Than His Wife.
MRS. DOWIE REBELLED
She Is Sustained in Her Posi-
tion by Her Son.
Founder of Zion Threatened With
Exposure If He Fights.
MRS. DOWIE REBELLED

Chicago, April 4.-Shorn Of the last
vestige of spiritual and temporal au-
thority. practically penniless in Mexico,
and broken IN mind and body. John
Alexander Dowie is now threatened
with grave charges dealing with his
private character.
His elders and deputies have united
to drive him from power, to take over
legally the $40. OOO, 900 property Of zion
and last Of all to warn Dowie that any
sign of resistance on his part would re-
suit IN exposure Of secrets of his prl-
vate life.
In these actions not only the leaders
and the host of followers join, but Mrs
Dowie and Gladstone Dowie, them
selves.
A mass meeting Of the zionites in the
Shiloh temple was eonhrmatory OF the
sentiment expressed Sunday evening.
All are agreed that Dowie has run his
race.
The leaders asserted that the old man
would be cared for until the end Of his
days-but modestly, economicaly-as
ward OF the church and not as its
leader
The name of Dowie-fhat famous,
bold signature. John Acknowledging
been torn from all the dead walls Of
Zion City. This was not done so much
with a purpose Of showing spite against
the deposed elijah" as to protect the
community from legal tangles that
might follow an effort on Dowie's part
to rehabilitate himself in power.
Ready to Spring Charges.
The charges dealing with Dowie's
private life are being held over his
head by Voliva and other leaders and
will be made public II Dowie refuses
to accept quietly his reputation by his
oh q hHfnz
pared by Voliva, together with Over
seers H D. Bracef1eld, J. G. Peicher,
and II. E. CantweN. They will be
based on certain revelations made to
them by Mrs. Jane Dowie and Glad
stone Dowie. the son. The least of
these charges, 1t was averred, Will be
that dealing with Dowies private ad-
voeacy Of poiygamy- His relations
and would-be relations with other
women than his wife, according to
open talk at Zions will be revealed.
There will be exposures of his man
ner of initiating women into his
church.
over the signatures of his mother and
himself. He would not give the de-
tails. but he said they would be SEN
sational.
been linked with Dowies. The woman
whom Mrs. Dowie most strenuousIy
objected to was Ruth Hofer. the Swiss
heiress, who came to America and to
Zion In 1904. Agnes Munro, the
Scotch singer. was another woman of
whom Mrs. Dowie was jealous.
Mrs. Emily Ware and her daughter
have been m ention in connection with
Dowie. but Gladstone said that they
were entirely innocent.
There is no desire on the part of
Mrs. Dowie, Aer son, or Voliva to scan
dalize the name of the deposed leader
but the charges will be made, It is
said. and substantiated, If he fights.
Relations With Women of Zion.
Most of the charitable persons at
Zion City say that Dowie only paid a
bit more than the proper attention to
Miss Hofer. She and the apostle" first
became acquainted in 1900. Dowie
met her again in 1904 on his trip
abroad. At that time she accompanied
him and Mrs. Dowie back to Zion City.
She was reported at that time to be
worth a million and likely to endow the
community. She entered Zion college,
but never studied much. She was
young and attractive.
Mrs. Ware and her daughter. Har-
riet, came to Zion City two years ago
from New York. The daughter is IS
and Mrs. Ware is As years old. Mrs.
Ware was assistant editor Of the Leaves
of Healing and her daughter was the
star singer in the choir. Mrs. Ware
complained of Dowies treatment of
herself and her daughter and was ex-
communicated by Dowie, who first
forced her to deny that he had insult
ed her or her daughter. Mrs. Ware is
now writing q book on Dowie that will
deal with his alleged secret teachings
of polygamy.
Dowfe met Agnes Munro in England
| in 1900. She was a famous Scotch
/ singer. Dowie became acquainted with
4 her IN q curious way. He was anxious
/ to meet King Edward, and was willing
to pay $4,000 for the privilege. A
/ famous physician whom he met at the
Hotel Cecil suggested that Miss Munro
! Spencer proposed to the king that an
audience be granted to Dowie but the
king declined Miss Munro, however,
received as her fee for interesting Earl
! Spencer So, 600, according to the re-
/ port. In addition Dowie gave her a
| $1,000 harp, It is asserted, in London,
with an appropriate verse signed Mig
pah." There was a good deal of talk
at the Hotel Cecil about Miss Munro
and Dowie.
As to Dowfe's advocacy of polygarly.
now that the ban Of silence has been
/ lifted It Is said that he argued It IN
season and out OF season, to leaders of
/ the church. to his wife and son, and to
every one he came in contact with His
arguments were a mixture Of his own
/ ideas with those Of Mohammedan and
Mormon law givers. His initial argu-
ment always was that everybody should
have as many children as possible.
This argument used with young mar
ried women. 1t Is said, was sometimes
at variance with the sacredness OF mar
riage as usually understood.