Evening star., 1923-03-23
TEST|F|ES SHE LIED
FOR HOUSE OF DAVID
Esther Hanse|| Says She
Should Be "Behind Bars"
for Perjury.
NO CRIPPLES ADMITTED
Declares Qualifications Were
Money, Trade. Strong Back
and Weak Mind.
NO CRIPPLES ADMITTED
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich. March %
An admission during cross exami-
nation that she ought to be behind
the bars, for acts in behalf Of the
lsraelite House of David, marked the
testimony in federal court here TODAY
/ or Esther Hansell. for thirteen years
| private secretary to Benjamin David
Purnell, head of the cult. in the suit
instituted by her parents-at-law
against Purnell
Ihe witness, during cross examina
ton. declared she had violated the
; law for Purnell. believing il was
the faith"
! every crooked and deceitful deal In
the colony" she testified. Il neriured
| myself and lied. Benjamin and
both ought to be behind the bars"
snys She Committed Perjury.
The witness said she had committed
perjury in connection with a previous
court trial Describing the hardships
| or members of the colony, the witness
said
Il never saw a cripple admitted to
/ the House of David. The uualifica-
ton for membership was money, a
strong back and weak mind, or else
good trade"
She had testified on direct examina
tion that Purnell had made large
profits OF the labor of his followers.
1t was in harmony with the teach
ing or the CULTS faith" the witness
said. to change facts that the
members of the organization might
not cast pearls before swine"
Girls Slept Like Pigs.
The witness described at length the
mode of living among the followers
of Purnell. Referring to trip taken
by girl members Of the colony from
Benton Harbor to High Island A bit
of land in Lake Michigan owned by
the cult. she said:
The girls slept IN covered wagons
on the boat like pigs in a sty. Ben
Jamin was aboard and visited the
wagons in the night"
Humble members of the colony who
worked for purnell were given poor
food. she testified. The bill of fare.
she said. consisted of vegetable soup
containing cocoanut oil instead of
grease. baked carrots or ruta bagas.
one slice of bread for each person and
berries that We're unfit for the mar
ket. In the winter the followers were
given skinned milk, she said.
although thousands of cans of
of it," Mrs. Hansell said
Products Of the colony never were
given TO the followers if they pos
sibly could be sold with profit, the
witness declared.
How Purnen is alleged to have
herded forty girls in Shiloh. his home.
into the attic of the residence when
he feared visit by federal investi-
gators. was revealed yesterday.
The testimony was given by Mrs.
Oh faSS = "A
witness for the plaintiffs.
"Benjamin told the girls in Shiloh
that there was to be "A special inves-
tigation and that officers were com
ing TO make medical examinations Of
us" Mrs. Wuerth testified. ''bs put a
coat. pair of mems trousers and a
vest in the room of each girl. to give
the impression that we lad husbands
living with us.
Beer Bottles Carried Out.
MARY, the wife of Purnell. gath
cred the girls whom Benjamin feared
would talk. and hid them in the at
tic. Forty or fifty of us We're kept
there. While this was going on. 9TH
ers carried Benjamin's beer bottles
away so the investigators would not
find them.
After we 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 the possesSor of
A large fortune in money and jewels,
which he kept hidden in Shiloh, was
declared by the witness.
"One time" she said. "Benjamin
heard that counterfeit bills We're be-
| ing circulated in Benton Harbor. He
i took me to help him examine his
| money. which he kept in q private
vault in his clothes press. He exam
/ ined every bill. There was more
than 100000 in paper currency.
Il saw in the vault a bucket full OF
gold coins. wonderful diamonds, and
/ heaps of other jeweiry nearby.
Benjamin had taken the diamonds
and other jewelry away from his fol-
lowers. 1t took US four days to ex-
anime ard count the paper currency.