Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-09-29
CALLED HIMSELF .7TH
ANGEL and FOR 70
YEARS HE PR0SPERED
Hair Vests and Immortality Were
His Chief Stock in Trade 1t
Is Said
IMMORTALITY is CHARGED
Religious Beliefs Had Pounds
ton IN Philosophy of Mrs.
Southworlh
BENTON HARBoR, Mich, Sept.

BENTON HARBoR, Mich, Sept.
29.-Hair vests and immortality.
These were the joint attractions
held forth by King Benjamin Pur-
nell, overload Of the Israelite House
Of David here, to attract a varie-
gated following Of some 1000 per-
sons from every corner Of the
earht.
They came as children Of faith,
turned over ali their possessions,
worked for nothing on a communal
basis that the cults Golfers might
grow and be prepared for the great
ingathering Of the $4,000 elect
who alone Of all living were to be
spared from the death King Ben
prophesied was imminent with the
approaching end of time and the
world.
For some twenity-od years Ben
jamin the jealous and his IA tribes
prospered' beyond even the widest
dreams of the Seventh Angel" as
he styled himself.
Worked for Nothing
The colony grew wealthy through
the Jealous work and the products
Of their disciples whose hands were
all the friends of work done free
for the greater glory Of Ben and
his mystery house of Shiloh, where
in dwelt a seragIio of virgins pro
NOTED from the ranks to be
"cleansed and made holy"
Those among, the colony who died
were presumed to have lacked the
proper degree of faith" And sick
ness was frowned upon as a mani
festation of sin.
Doctors never stopped at Benton
Harbor Nor were razor ads to any
avail For Ben's Israelites grew
pigtails, and to cut their hair was
Immediately an occasion, in their
belief, for the devil to open his
Limbo gates for the ride below, to
which place Ben had solemnly pre-
dioted all shaven "Gentiles," as the
outside world was known, were ev-
entually to be consigned.
Members of the colony were
strictly vegetarian. In Benton
Harbor they operated famous
park where an appetizing meal of
roots and herbs could be purchased,
as well as a ride on a miniature
railway which snorted through
nenagerie.~
Ben Was Boss
Over all this physical-property,
which had grown from almost moth
ing; as well as over the hearts and
minds of his subjects, whom he is
alleged by court allegation to have
thrust into forced marriages, King
Ben was master and absolute die.
tor. STA ~
He ran the cults baseball team,
directed time for the colony band,
and held so many other offices in
Israel that no complete checkup Of
his manifold duties has ever been
made. aaat
PurneH and Queen Mary came to
Benton harbor on May 26, 1908.
Concerning the activities of has
wife and self prior to that time
little is known.
Noon of the day mentioned saw
Benton Harbor slumbering in the
sunshine. Then out Of the then
village quietude a great fanfare of
trumpets was heard and a queer
procession headed by Ben himself
wound down the main street. This
was the beginning.
Finis to this person was recently
written into the decree handed
down by Federal Judge John E. Sa-
ter, Of Columbus, O., who awarded
John w. Hansel and his family, all
former ousted members Of the
House of David, $4,000 in their
$4,000 suit against King Ben, for
injuries ard services dating back
to 1912, in which year they were
induced to join.
in his scathing official opinion
the court denounced King Ben and
his practices, in no uncertain terms
dealing with the alleged immoral
treatment of girl and women MEM
Ibers and held the cult to be a g.