San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-22
PURNELL HID .
GIRLS WHEN
RAID FEARED
Herded Them Into Attic,
Former High Priestess
Declares.
HAD BIG FORTUNE
Beer Carried Away So Fed
eral Officers Would
Not Find 1t.

Grand Rapids. Mich, March o.
How Benjamin Purnell. head of the
Israelite House of David colony at
Benton Harbor, is alleged TO have
herded 40 girls in Shiloh, his home,
into the attic of the residence, when
he feared a visit by federal investiga-
tors, was revealed in federal court
here today during trial of the suit
against the colony instigated by John
and Margaret Hansel.
The testimony was given by Mrs.
Hazel Wuerth, former high priestess
and preacher in the cult, VINO is a
witness for the plaintiffs.
Benjamin told the girls in Shiloh
that there were to be special inves-
tigation and officers were coming to
make medical examinations of us, ;"
Mrs. Wuerth testified.
~He put coat, n pair of mems
trousers and vest in the room oil
, each girl to give the impression that
We had husbands living with us.
Beer Bottles Removed.
"Mary, the wife Of Purnell, gathered
the girls whom Benjamin feared would
| talk and hid them in the attic. Forty
or fifty of us were kept there. While
this was going on, others carried Ben
jamiu's beer bottles away so the in
vestigators would not find them.
After he had been in the attic
two or three hours. Mary brought US
down. Benjamin said: That's the time
We fooled them
That Purnell was a possessor of
large fortune of money and jewels,
! which he kept hidden in Shiloh, was
declared by the witness.
"One time,' she said, BENJAMIN
heard that counterfeit bills were be-
ing. circulated in Benton Harbor. He
took me TO help him examine his
money. which he kept in private
/ vnult in his clothes press. He examined
every bill. There was more than $780,
| 600 in paper currency.
II saw in the vault n bucket full
Of gold coins. wonderful diamonds,
and heaps Of other jewelry nearby.
Benjamin had taken the diamonds
and other jewelry away from his fol-
| lowers"
A flight from the colony by Purnell.
| W disguised himself in woman's
clothing for the purpose. was de-
scribed yesterday by Mrs. Isabel Prich-
ard. The cult leader requisitioned her
brown dress and corsets for the trip.
she said. The flight was precipitated
by a report that conditions at the
colony were about to be investigated.
Purnell, the witness said, went to
Canada on that occasion.
| Another witness described a tunnel.
80 feet in length. leading from the
house of Shiloh. through which Pur-
nell was said to have explained that
he might wish to escape.
THE day is coming when the son Of
man will be chased like fox" he was
| quoted, in discussing the tunnel. An
automobile also was kept in readiness
for Purnell's expected hasty exits, the
| witness said.
you have ruined my faith and my
children Mrs. Isabel Z ichard. of
Chicago, told Benjamin Purnell three
years ago, according to her testimony
yesterday.
The statement to Benjamin followed
the confession to her. by her two
daughters, that they had engaged in
immoral relations with the head of the
1
| Breaks Down on Stand.
ain the midst of the recital of the
story of her two daughters, the woman.
white-haired and advancing toward 20
years Of age. broke down. A moment
later. however, she continued her testi-
mony.
SO great was her faith in benjamin
! Purnell. she testified. that she would
not believe her daughters story of the
relations with him, and she made them
bring a Bible and swear to her. with
one hand on the book, that they were
telling the truth.
Mrs. Prichard and daughter. Mrs.
Irene Sashman. told of the visit of
Benjamin and Mary. his wife, to Aus
tralia; of their acceptance of the faith
and of their selling their home in Mel
bourne and coming TO the colony.
Following the confession OF her
daughters. Mrs. Prichard sent them to
their husbands to tell them the infor-
nation they had given her and she
and her daughters made ready TO leave
the colony. The leaving, she said. took
place seven days later, and, because
they refused to sign papers desired,
they were not given travel money by
the colony, she said. The husband OF
Irene had some money he had earned
outside of the colony, and this paid
their fare.
In the course Of her statements. II
was also developed that the price paid
for group marriages in the colony was
30 cents apiece.