Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1906-05-04
DOWIE FORCED INTO BANK.
RUPTCY.

Involuntary bankruptcy proceed
ingS were started late Wednesday
afternoon against John Alexander
Dowie individually before Judge
K. NJ Lands. The claims involved
amount to s.. 900 The petition al
legeS that on March ; bowie trans
fered property valued at 81 200 to
Margaret H. Fielder and that on
Jan. 10 other property was tram
ferred to James H. Hirsch thus
showing preference to three credit
ors over others which is alleged to
be violation of the bankruptcy
law. Dowie's liabilities are not
actually known at this time HiS
assets are said 10 be about 81 5000,
600.
The action threatens to disrupt
Ziou City in its present unsettled
state and friends of the various IT.
situations controlled by the Christ
ian Catholic church in Zion City
fear that such serious compiled
tionS NAV arise that DoWie'S ven
ture in building model city can
bear this additional burden. The
filing of the petition also plac-
es some knotty points of law be
fore the court for an untangling.
The court set the matter for
hearing next Monday morning.
The Zion City property estimat
ed anywhere from SIS 900, 900 to
$40, 600 900. is now claimed by two
factions of the church and If the
court steps IN, one of the warmest
contests the bankruptcy court has
ever seen will develop.
Early this year when Dowie was
in Jamaica, where he went in search
Of health, he sent his power of at
torney to General Overseer Wilbur
Glenn Voliva. Under this power
of attorney, when the break occur
red a month ago between Eoliva
and Dowie, the latters property
was transferred by VOli>a TO FL
nancial Manager Alexander Gran
ger The present status of the
case is that Granger claims the
property of the Dowieites, while
Dowie is attacking the transfer in
the courts and has sought an in
junction restraining Voliva and
Granger from interfering with him.
Before a receiver is appointed on
the petition in bankruptcy filed,
the United States will endeavor to
determine who has the proper title
to the property. IF Voliva's claim
is legitimate the federal counts
could not assume jurisdiC ton for
creditors, because the bankruptcy
petition runs against DOwie indi
vldually. Should Dowie'S claim 10
the title prove good a receive
could take posse ssion. The peti
ton therefore presents three cor
nered fiji hit which from present in
dications promises to be long
drawn out.
This is the second time since he
founded Zion City that John Alex
ander bowie has been attacked in
bankruptcy proceedings in the u.
S. courts. December I. 1908, a
similar petition was filed against
Dowie, and Judge Kohlsaat, then
in the United States district court,
appointed two receivers to take
charge of Zion City and all its
industries. Dowie fought against
the proceedings vigorously and sue
ceeded in having the receiver dis
charged. An advisory committe OF
creditors was then appointed. This
committee still exists under the old
proceeding, but they have nothing
to do. Since the discharge of the
receivers Dowie. it is said, his paid
off every dollar of the $500, 900 of
Indebtedness then in the case.
Dowie's legal advisers declare
that he is solvent hevon1 question
and that The bankruptcy proceed
ings will serve 10 prove this asser
ton.
FORTUNATE MISROURIANS.