The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-12-21
YET This DOCTRINE Is SUSPEND.
20 TEMPORARILY FOR BENE-
FIT o. COLONY.
Shocking Conditions Of innsraii.y
Brought 10 lipht-oevsrnneut 20
Take Action.


srouoht 10 lIuht-oevsrnmeut 20
F., Take Action.
! BENTON HARBoR, Mich. Dec. 20.
One OF the cardinal doctrines OF the
israelite House Of David. also known
As Flying Rollers" II that marriage
is q mortal sin.
1 -Four years ago this doctrine was
suspended Temporarily for the benefit
OF large fock of young men and wo-
men In the House of David colony
who desired to marry. From that time
on. II Is said. BENJAMIN Purneli. known
TO the members OF the cult simply as
4 BENJAMIN" the spiritual head OF The
lsraelites. frequently has suspended
the dogma and permitted marriages
among the members. sometimes OF
single couples and at other times oy
the wholesale
4 The motive underlying this singular
state OF AFFAIRS 10 what the federal
government IL endeavoring to throw
light upon. and a searching investixa-
ton OF moral conditions at the colony
Is under way. The inquiry promises
TO disclose a situation of Affairs
shocking and sensational in its nature.
Have Women's AfYidavlts.
Anfdavits OF three women. former
members OF the cult. are In the hands
OF United States Attorney Myron ii.
walker. OF Grand Rapids. and Hinton
q. Chabaugh. chief OF the federal bu-
reau OF Investigation at Chicago. The
anidavits charge Benjamin with sus-
tanning immoral relations with prsc-
ucaiiy every woman and girl in the
colony
Special agents of the bureau OF in
ivestigation. headed py Special Agent
jenkins. OF Chicago, are at work in
lvestigating charges OF alleged viola.
ton of the Mann act District Attor-
ney Clyne at Chicago also Is In Dos
session OF the complaints filed rexai q
Ing the possibility OF Mann act prose-
cutions.
Attorneys John ]. Sterling and
Harry s. Whitney OF Benton Harbor.
MED original complaints with the gov
eminent several months ago. Add
uoqal evidence has been supplied the
federal officials from time to time
since that time
Hides colony's seerets7
IL Is the theory OF the complainants
that BENJAMIN has suspended the nom
marriage doctrine for the purpose of
covering up conditions existing in the
colony. Missionaries are sent out in
pairs into all parts OF the country 10
bring new members. and II is alleged
that women and girls we're brought in
for immoral purposes.
4 This view of the federal investiga-
tors Is based on the affidavits OF the
three women. two OF whom are now
suing for divorce from husbands they
say they were forced TO marry against
their Will The marriage. they charge,
was brought about In a sort Of lottery
scheme arranged by BENJAMIN and his
advisers about four years ago.
The three women are Mrs. Augusta
Fortney Holiday. Mrs. Lena Fortney
McFariane. sisters. and Mrs. Edna
Clarke. all of Benton Harbor. Mrs.
Holiday and Mrs. McFarlane are suing
for divorce. Their bills were filed
several months ago in the Berrien
county Circuit Court and the cases are
stin pending.
Here are the affidavits made by the
three women:
Augusta Holiday. first being duly
sworn. deposes and says: My name is
Augusta Holiday and went with my
father to live In the House of David
about six years ago and remained
there until the 21st OF July, 1914
About four years ago BENJAMIN told
me. with the rest OF the girls at the
colony. that each of us would be
Obliged to go through certain mar
riage with young men in the colony
In order to save the colony and the
faith, and he wanted me 10 marry a
certain man he had picked out. but |
would not consent to marry him but
consented to marry another man.
named Allan Holiday. my name being
Augusta Fortney.
The reason he wanted the whole
sale marriage was that he had Grim
inal intercourse with about all or the
girls OF the colony over the age OF u
years.
Claimed He Was Purified.
He would take all OF the girls into
his room and tell US that he was our
husband and that the other marriage
was just a sham. and he would quote
scripture. and told us that the lam
ing sword spoken OF In the scriptures.
held by the Angel as barring Adam
and Eve from the garden had been
! taken away 40 far as he himself was
| concerned. and he was purified and
had a right To have intercourse with
any giri Of the colony.
lie would take the giris out OF the
room into HE private room one az a
time and bring them back.
My sister Lena aAd 7 have always
| objected 10 his oyertures and we
were always out OF favor. have
talked about Il TO all OF the girls In
the colony and they have all told me
the same story. that they have been
intimate with Benjamin.
He does not allow the husbands
and their wives OF the young people
that we're married TO cO-habit togeth-
or. Benjamin keeps most OF the girls
a. shiloh. bis headquarters. lie has
all kinds OF intoxicating liquor there
which he gives the girls. left the
~e-~---~--~~-~~~~~~--~-~