HOUSE OF DAVID

Otago Witness, Issue 3613, 12 June 1923, Page 25

HOUSE OF DAVID

LEADER DISAPPEARS. IMPROPER CONDUCT ALLEGED. NEW YORK, June 8. A message from St. Joseph, Michigan, states that it is believed that Benjamin Purnell, the head of a religions cult known < s the House of David, who is a fugitive from justice, charged with improper conduct towards the girl members of the cult, has fled to Melbourne. Mr Daugherty (Attorney-General) annouces that the Australian officials have been requested to watch for Purnell. For 15 years this colony, situated between St. Joseph and Benton Harbour, the twin cities of the Lake Michigan shore, has grown from nothing into a city within itself. The property alone, which Purnell has gathered to himself from the riches and labour of his adherents, is worth more than 1,000,000 dollars. The revelations which have shocked the State came during a trial of an action brought at Grand Rapids by John Hansell and his wife. Hansell asked for 80,000 dollars, which he said represented the money he hart turned over to Purnell, and also the value of the services he had contributed to the colony. Immediately after the trial Governor Groesbeck, of Michigan, said he would ask the Legislature to amend the State Religious Act to outlaw such associations, and he has started proceedings to disband the Israelite House of David and compel the sale by the cult of its extensive property holdings at Benton Harbour. The House of David occupies about 500 acres of land for its schools, houses, and workshops. There are hundreds of other additional acres for farming. Purnell, 65 years old and vigorous, did not- close his kingdom to visitors. On the contrary, he fitted it out as a summer resort. To the attraction of his bearded followers he added a dance hall, motion picture theatre, miniature railroad, puppet shows, and everything else that goes to make a Coney Island. As a result he drew large crowds from Chicago and nearby Michigan and Indiana cities. Another source of revenue was farming out labour. Purnell fixed the wages and collected them. Among other things preached by Purnell is belief in marriage, but not in the consummation of marriage, therefore there were no children born in the House of David. In support of this belief one is referred to the First Epistle of the Corinthians. vii. 29. Marriages, however, are on the wholesale plan, according to statements by former inmates of the House. In them the boys and girls have no choice, and on several occasions it. is an undeniable fact that as many as 24 couples have been lined up and married a few hours after the “pairing” has been done by “King Benjamin.” In the sensational trial at. Grand Rapids the charges made against Purnell astonished the presiding judge. Purnell was alleged to have driven a girl member of the colony insane; to have forced girls to marry men much older than themselves; to have taken funds from new members, never returning any part of it; to have hidden as high as 100.000 dollars home, which is known as Shiloh; to have given wine and beer to girls, declaring it would purge their souls; to have practiced fraud to avoid court action, and to have prepared to escape from the colony in the event of a Federal investigation by personally superintending the construction of a secret tunnel which led from his house to the open country.