The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-25
DENNIS ON TRIAL.
observation-disclosures Pathetic
at Others Funny.
Prosecution Deals With the I'm
willing Witness.
HAD TO COAX KLEE.
His Wife, Physically Frail, Is
Aided to Stand.
After Two Are Examined Case
Is Continued.

Seldom has a court been called upon
10 listen to more curious evidence, writ
ten or verbal than that which County
Attorney John J. Schenck has been
producing today in the city court at the
hearing of Israel Alfred ]. Dennis and
William Moody, arraigned on a charge
of obtaining money from William r.
ISlee, under threats and false repre-
sensations. At times the proceedings
were pathetic, at others, simply funny.
| The county attorney is basing his
prosecution partially upon the hard
won evidence of an unwilling complain
ing witness, William Klee, the man
from whom Dennis and Moody got ST.
200 by persuading him Of their divine
right to take it, and partially upon a
mass of evidence made up of formally
written documents, appointments.
promissory notes and certificates or
Identification for functionaries in the
Restored Church of the Messiah. He Is
trying to show that Dennis and Moody
not only for his own life, but that OF
his son, and for the repose of their
soul in the world to come. He also is
trying OF show that Dennis and Moody
represented themselves possessed Of
| spiritual powers and authority which,
| in reason, may not be exercised by NOR
| tails.
| Klee, who evidently is of a more than
ordinarily religious bent, had to be
| coaxed to give his evidence in the case.
| He was shoemaker at 4O2 East
| Fourth street when he encountered
| Dennis last May. A casual remark
| made while Klee worked on one of Den
| mis- shoes, opened the subject of relig-
i ion and Dennis, who was looking for
! converts to his church. found Klee in
| terested in his proclamation of a new
| faith nanniS' ton filled
| with Scriptural phraseolcgy, his arsu-
| ments too strong for the slow witted
shoemaker Moody, with whom Klee
had been acquainted for some months,
ran a restaurant next door to the shoe
| shop. He joined efforts with Dennis for
the shocmaker's conversion, their eff
| forts being unremitting after Klee con-
fessed himself possessed of a sum of
| near 1900.
Tells of Paying Money.
As he said this morning he signed
the covenant and paid over tenth OF
all he had or, precisely, S124. This was
| early in May. His spiritual advisers
then urged him to give up all and
! preach the gospel. He hesitated but
4 made another contribution for the pur-
chase of a printing outfit. Finally he
went with Moody to trader and
bought a team. of horses which Moody
7 removed to Atchison and put to- work
on a farm on Cow island where, it was
4 new church was to be located. On Cow
island the converts to the new church
were to assemble until all of the
descendants of the tribes of Israel were
gathered.
Some of this money may be account
ed for by the two documents, written
in inky scrawl, which are here repro
royal GUARANTY.
"I David Israel, do hereby pledge
and promise Reuben Israel the sum OF
one hundred Cs10O dollars to be paid
out of the First Available funds in the
national treasury in the Kingdom ol
| Israel.
(Signed) DAVID lSRAhA'
ROYAL GUARANTY.
CIT navid Israel Royal Patriarch OF
, the Tribes that bear my Name, PROM
Use and Pledge to Reuben israel my
E7irst-Rorn in the Covenant. the sum 81
One Hundred ($100) Dollars to be palc
ont Of the First Available Funds of my
National Treasury which is the treas
ury of the Restored Kingdom or israeI
"ISMAEL ISRAEL JUDA BENJAMl ~ ~
"Patriarch of the Restored klngoon
KIee admitted that he had finally
Given IN the last of his $1,000. Dennis
/: and Moody receiving equal shares o
the whole sum. He SAID their asSel
tions. their laying on of hands, their as
s11nontion of authority, had seemed al
right to him and he had believed
Frail Wife Aided to Stand.
The county attorney called to tn
witness stand the feeble wife of Den
z mis-. She had to be aided across IN
room. a persistent cough telling tn
story of her physical frailty. But ne
n shirt was unbowed and she declare
herself a believer in her husbands re
Iigion and. more than that, prophet
ess of God by her own right
O ssWhat is your name?" asked MI
IL Schenck.
st mean your real one,'' urged tn
y attorney.
d sadie A. Dennis" was her answer
s "Don't you sign yourself as Beatri
C sometimes?'
= Eyes, 1 do. My husband gave m
that name. 1t means "A Perfect Won
an" and she sat straight waiting TO
Z the next question.
@ She affirmed with apparent pleasur
n that her husband was Gods deputy,
prophet. patriarch, a lord. king {
:. Tho kingdom of God and had rigf
e to other similar distinctions. Some c
,e these honors had been conferred d
;e rect from heaven. From her own in
Ie sniration she had conferred some {
l. the titles She knew they were a
e right because she had been inspire
" to understand their authenticity an
she was ready to defy any contradiC
ton. The county attorney venture
none.
Dave Gregg and W. L. Jamison, a
l. torneys for the defense, ventured som
e cross examination. but they opened
ID line of evidence about how Mrs Del