The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-04-27
MARRIAGE BY
LOTTERY WAS
KINGS" RULE
Inncrm0St Secrets of House
OF David Are Barred to
Grand Jury
COUPLE HAD REVOLTED

81. Joseph, Mich, April 27.--ln-
ncrmost secrets of life in King"
BENJAMIN puincll's House Of David
worc revealed TO the grand jury in
vc,tipatiug alleged immortality in
the colony, when benjamin Hill, "a.
and Mrs. Lillian lIanarord. 80. took
the witness stand,
The couple were intercepted early
Yesterday at StcvcnSvIlle, II miles
south Of st. Joseph, after they had
tlnpcd from the colony. leaving Will
liam Hanaford, Mrs. Hanaford's ell
derly husband. behind
They told Judge Harry Dingeman.
the one man grand jury, they had
not seen Purncll since last Christ
mas and that members of the cult
did not know his present where
abOutS.
Covers Two Decades
The story they told covered two
decades of blind submission to Pur-
nell's faith; dwelt Oh love that was
frustrated and denied; marriages
consummatcd by lottery and lacking
even in common affection, Of gradual
loss of faith and the final decisi OIL
to break the ties of almost life
time, Il decision that eliminated last
night in romantic secret fight.
But for Il gossipy railroad static
agent, their fight might have re-
manned romantic fight.
The pair told the grand jury they
LII Il l. -.
the colony, but when the time came
to marry the elders of the Purneil
church told them their love was only
the forbidden lust OF the flesh. SO
Hills name was placed in Il hat at
one of the group marriage lotteries,
and WAS drawn by Cletta Ward, a
15-year- old girl. That was IL years
ago. and Hill. rcnouncing his own
desires. married Cletta, while Lillian
married Hanaford, old enough to be
her father.
Mrs. Hill Left in 1913
In 1913, Mrs. Hill lost faith in Pur-
nell and left the colony, Hill said,
from him. He testified that before
her departure she told him that
King" Benjamin had had improper
relations with her prior to their
marriage.
AT first | believed her; then
didn't now don't know what Ia
think" Hill told reporters
Hill said he continued at the col.
ony and became manager of the
band, which has toured the entire
country. He became familiar fig
IRE to many theater audiences dur
ing the bands vaudeville engage
mcnts when he delivered an address
from the stage at each performance
In his spare time at home Hill
worked in the colony print shop, and
there he again met his boyhood
sweetheart, now fellow employc.
The testimony Of gross immortality
on the part of Benjamin. presented
at Grand Rapids in civil suit last
month. was the last straw according
to Hill and Mrs. Hanaford They
decided to quit the colony, let Hama
ford obtain Il divorce and then
marry
The sudden group marriages u,
the colony last week FASTENED THEN
plans. for Marietta Smith, Il 2O-year-
old girl, drew Hills name in the
wedding lottery and wanted to marry
him. Hill objected so strenuously
he testified, that Miss Smith aban.
doncd hope and drew again.
Hills testimony, state officials
said contained number of import
ant leads which will be developed
later. Mrs. Hanaford knew little
about the alleged revels in Shiloh
the home Of King" Benjamin and
Queen" Mary Purnell, she said. She
told the grand jury that she had
never been molested by Purnell
The frequent reference to the fol-
lowers of Purnell as "Israelites" has
caused some people to believe the
members of the cult were Jews. II
was discovered today when leading
Jews protested against the idea.
There are no Jews in the House
II