Girls Forced to
WediHand-Picked
Husbands, Charge
Attorney for Sisters Says Head
of Religious Cult Ran Match
Making Affairs With
i Iron Hand.
Pawpaw. Midi., Feb. 9.—Charges
that Benjamin Purnell, high priest of
the House of David, a religious cult
at Benton Harbor, forced 24 girls of
the cult to marry husbands he picked |
out for them were made in open court
yesterday. The charges were made
tiy W. M. Nelson, attorney for two
sisters w ho are suing Purnell for 1100,
000 damages each. Both allege he
forced them to marry his hand picked
husbands.
The 24 girls, Nelson stated, were
notified at 4 one afternoon of their
impending weddings and at 6 were
marshaled in a row and forcibly mar
lied to men commanded by Purnell
to become their husbands.
The sisters, Mrs. Ruth Bamford
Reed, 17, and Mrs. Gladys liamfdM
Rubel. 19, claim that they were resi
dents of Purnell's domain from baby
hood until they were forced to leave
the colony, destitute, disgraced and
married to men selected by Purnell.
Scathing denouncement of the prac
tices and habits of the high lord of
the Israelites featured the hearing.
Despite the efforts of attorneys of
Purnell, an affidavit of Mrs. Reed was
1 ead in court by her attorney in which
revolting charges were alleged against
Purnell.
Mrs. Reed alleges that her father
and mother, wealthy residents of Mel
bourne, Australia, were induced by
Purnell in 1904 to leave their home
and become members of the House
of David. All their property and for
tune were turned over to Purnell,
Bamford working without compensa
tion.
Much of the jewelry, valued at sev
oral thousand dollars, is now worn
by Purnell and his wife, Mrs. Reed
claims. Her mother's wedding ring
even adorns the finger of Mary Pur
bell, so completely under the domin
ion of the high priest has the Bam
ford family become, says Mrs. Reed.
-i
Pastor to Stand Ground.
Grand Rapids, Mich., Feb. 9.—
"Mel "Trotteh does not run away
while under fire.
This was the answer of the famous
evangelist w hen asked if he would ro
; ign as head of the City Rescue mis
sion, after Reformed and Christian
Reformed churches had closed their
Wanda Hawley Says Hubby
Called Her “Brainless Fool”j
So Movie Actress Asks Di
vorce—Charges She Sup
ported Her Husband.
I.os Angeles. Feb. 9.—Failure to
provide, brutality, refusal to work,
and dissipation of large # sums of
money she gave him, were four of
the grounds upon which Wanda Haw
ley, motion picture aefress asked a
divorce from Allen Burton Hawley in
an action filed here yesterday.
Mias Hawley alleged she not only
had to make her own living, but hud
to make her husband's, also; that he
treated her with contempt; called her
a "brainless fool," swore at her in the
presence of others', criticized her per
sonal appearance in public; bruised
and Injured her by dragging her fr&rn
an automobile and told her "it was
none of her business," when she asked
him about reports that he was en
tertaining men and other women at
their home.
Miss Hawley, whose true given
name is Selma, sailed for Europe
from New York about two weeks ago.
IgstTcta.
Her husband Is said to be hi New
York.
doors to his mission's financial cam
paign.
The churches' action resulted from
the sensational divorce suit in which
Trotter was accused of being the
father of a baby l>orn to his secre
tary, Florence Moody. All but one
church refused to admit the mission
workers. 'Trotter was vindicated in
the divorce action, but opinion is
against him still in many quarters.
"My place is in Grand Rapids, and
that's where I am going t/> stay,” j
said Trotter.
—
George Bernard Shaw
Says London Is Ugly
London, Feb. 9. — George Bernard
Shaw is on the warpath again. In a
letter to the Architect, the Journal of
i he English Society of Architects, he
thinks that London's buildings are
very ugly, and suggepts many im
; provements. one of which would be
to remove the top story of the Houses :
of Parliament.
"The Houses of Parliament could
be made almost presentable by re
moving the top story," he says.
"Why don’t you send a competent .
young man around London to sug
gest Improvements in existing ugly
buildings, and to mark the hopeless
ones for demolition?” he asks.
Clearing olit from Westminster Ab
bey a lot of "ugly tombs" is anothet
one of his suggestions for beautify- '
ing London.
Judge Endorses “Unwritten
Law” in Murder Trial
New YoHc, Felt. 9.—One of the |
strongest endorsements of the *'un- i
written law" ever uttered from the
bench was pronounced by County
Judge J. Franklin Taylor in Brooklyn,
when a jury acquitted Saviuno Sbor
dano for killing Jere Meighen, 60,
who had attacked the slayer's 7-year
old daughter, Lillian.
The jury deliberated less than 20
minutes. Judge Taylor thanked them
for the “just verdict."
The Judge told the jury he had con
sulted two supreme court Justices and
three assistant district attorneys
about Sbordano's case and all had in
formed him they would have been
“crazed” by the same experience.
Burglars Rob Furniture
Store and 2 Residences
Three burglaries were reported to
police yesterday.
Thieves who gained entrance to the
Star Furniture company store. 613
North Sixteenth street, made off with
a phonograph, proprietors said.
Charles W. Hinzie, 4616 JJavenport
street, reported that prowlers entered
his home with a pass key and
stole $l->.
A girl's bicycle was stolen during j
the night from the home of R. B. Con- *
don, 1512 South Twenty-seventh j
street. *1
Ten Men Trapped j
by Gas Fumes Die:
V
30 More Overcome
Workers Caught in Under
ground Chamber—Many In
jured in Attempt to Res
cue Companions.
Toionfti. Ont., Feb. 9.—Trapped in
an underground chamber and shut off j
front rescue by a gas screen tvbicn
only firemen with masks could pene
trate, 10 men were asphyxiated at the
Consumers Has company’s plant yes
terday and about 30 others wore over
come by poisonous fumes, many of
them In heroic efforts to save their
fellow workers.
•It has not been determined whether
the tragedy resulted front a defective
Indicator on a "tell tale" safety valve
or the failure of those first entering
the death chamber to heed the "tell
tale" warning of a leaky gas main.
A group of men In the valve house
were Installing apparatus for increas
ing the flow in the mains when three
others entered the underground cham
ber and were bowled over by fume^
Others hurried to their aid, but they
too were quickly overpowered by the
poisonous atmosphere. A clanging
gas alarm turned the plant Into con
fusion.
Hurry jails were sent for police and
firemen and the battle began to save
those who could be carried to fresh
air quickly and the still greater task
of reaching the first three who had
collapsed In the chamber.
Seven men were taken, out alive,
but all died before reaching St. Mich- j
ael hospital. The condittion of sev- '
pral others was reported to be critical.
Fire Insurance Company
of Omaha Names Officers
The fourth annual meeting of the
National American Insurance com
pany of Omaha was h£ld Thursday at
the home office In the Barker block.
The officers and directors were re
elected: «
W. H. Ahmanaon prewiden; W. E.
Wilcox, vice presldcn: James E.
Foster, secretary treasurer.
Directors: W. H. Ahmanaon, Omaha;
W. L. Wilcox. vice president Universal
Finance corporation. Omaha; Janice E
Foster, Omaha; N. If. Tvaon, president of
the Bank of Benson; E. It. Goodman,
president Goodm* n - Buckley Troat Cp .
North Platte, Neb.; F. C. Aehtemeitr,
'Ice president State Bank of Jansen.
Jansen, Neb.; H. If. Jonee. vie* president
of lirin Ac Jensen Co., Omaha, C L Dun
ham. president First National lank. Ar
cadia, Cal.; Dr. Frank Itarta, Ord, Neb.;
G. C. Mueftle, president Farmer* State
bank. Eusttn, Neb.; J. F. Smith, Eust:*, ]
Neb.; D. J Poynter. Albion. Neb ; G J.
Harrison. Seward, Neb . C. I, Brlnkcr
hoff, Superior. Neb Frank Misko, Ord,
Neb. Alfred J Johnson. Axtetl, N«b.;
S. fC. Poleki. WMWes* and cashier Bank
of Ashton, Ashton, Neb.
Featuring During Our February Sale 1,000 Pairs j
Women’s Smart Low Shoes
Reduced for Immediate Selling
A llover black satin with
flexible soles, high
French or low box heels,
5J95.
A llover tony red or black
calfskin or patent
leather walking oxfords,
5J)5.
Shoes
formerly
priced
from
6.50 to
10.50
951
Per Pair
*
All sizes
are in
cluded in
this group
This Clearance Sale
Of women’s shoes affords an oppor
tunity of obtaining exceptionally low
prices on new and modish footwear.
. A A
Allover black satin with
high French heels, 5.9't.
A llover broun or black
calfskin. Goodyear welt
soles. Leather military
heels, 5.95.
The sale includes such a wide
assortment of desirable shoes
that it is practical economy to
select several pairs.
In satin, patent leather and
two-tone effects for dress,
semi-dress or street.
Patent leather trimmed
with black or blue kidskin.
Turned soles, covered
Cuban heels. Formerly
lOJiO. Sale price, 5J15.
Strap pumps, tonpue Co
lonial pumps, oxfords, sandal'
effects and many other shoe
styles. All sizes and widths
in the assortments.
Several Hundred Pairs of
Women's 095
Low Shoes *3 /»
6.50 to 8.50 Values
Extra Special —
Broken Lot Sale of
Buster Brown Ct
Low Shoes JL p^r
For children. Sizes 5£ to 8 and 8£ to 11.
A Large and Courteous Sales Force Assures You Prompt Attention
Third Floor—F.mt
Quantity of Loot Is
Found in Apartment
Detectives yesterday recovered a
quantity of stolen jewelry, includ- 1
Ing watches and the mountings of
diamond rings, apparently, they say, j
the remainder of a collection of high ,
< lass loot, in the Cat-berry apart
merits at Fortieth and Cass,
The loot was discovered, wrapped
up in it paper, by Mr. and Mrs. J. <1.
Kteiner, recently of Chicago, when
they moved into apartment 103.
Heaps found over the door induced,
detectives to believe that a prowler
had jimmied his way Into the apart
ment and used it as a place of
temporary abode.
One piece of jewelry, a Vassar pin,
heirs fhe name of Klizabeth Itlunt.
Another is engraved with the name
of Kdwnrd Wilkins Dewey. Detective
tJeorge Hunimitt is endeavoring to
locate the owners of the remainder
of the jewelry.
Expert Outlines
Men s Fashions
Abnormal Styles TJ ill Be in
Poor Taste, Says New
York Editor.*
Proper dress for males of Omaha was
outlined Thursday night hy Samixl
Regal, technical editor of the Ameri
can Fashion company of New York
city, at a meeting of the Merchant
Tailors' and Designers’ association of
Omaha. A demonstration was given
hy Mr. Regal of fashions In men's
clothing and the tailors indicated
their approval of a return to the
gentility which pervaded the nation
before the war. The meeting was
held in Hotel Fontenelle.
The war. which brought from the
government a request to conserve in
men's garments, gave birth to the
new fad of “trick" clothes. This as
sortment included abnormal pleats,
aft extra button here and an adi^rd
flare there, with a narrowing of the
sleeve or a bell on the coat cuff, Mr.
Regal explained.
Speaking of the modern trend to
Words the so-called “toreador" trous
ers, Mr. Regal said, “These horrors
were worn quite extensively 3i> or 40
gentleman. There was a certain
judge in New York who would view
each male prisoner who came before
him. and if that person had on a pair
of flafe trousers, he gjX 60 days as
sure as fate. Reputable tailors do rot
v ant such styles to go out from their
concerns."
The mqfting was under the direc
tion of O. C. Smith of the Omaha M‘-r
chant Tailors Designers and was pre.
sided over by Jacob Hansen. The
meeting was larger than the last co*
vention held at Kansas City.
Mr. Regal left yesterday morning
for Denver and the coast.
\ oleano Active
Ia>ndon. Feb. 9.—A dispatch to the
Times from Riga says that Moscow
reports reaching there are to the ef
fect that the Amachlnskv volcano,
near Petropavlovsk, a seaport in Can)
hatka, is In eruption with recurrent'
earth shocks.
P"1-111’"1’1 ...
Buy Brandeis Master-Made
Furniture Now
The February Furniture Sale offers the best of Furniture
at prices remarkably low. During this sale, as at other
times, you have the privilege of buying on our
Easy Monthly Payment Plan
. 18.00
Simmons
Bed
13.75
Simmon r.ew mitered
corner steel beds, 2-ineh
posts, heavy fillers. In
walnut, mahogany, oak
and ivory finish. Both
4-foot 6-inch and 3-foot,
3-inch sizes.
60.00 Wing Chair
or Rocker 44.75
Large Wing Chair or Rocker with loose
spring filled cushion scats. A choice of
velour coverings. *
U
45.00 Breakfast
Suite 34.75
Five-piece breakfast suite, consist
ing of drop leaf table and four
chairs in ivory and gray enamel
finish.
Seventh Floor
- • J
Another Opportunity
Presents itself to the people of Omaha and vicinity to secure one
of these high grade, fully guaranteed
Phonographs at Very Low Prices
If <ever you wanted a Phonograph—Come in now. Examine the motors —
Play a record—any record—then buy.
_1_
36 Inches High, 40 Inches Wide,
22 Inches Deep
Beautiful Console Type
Queen Ann Model
A 200.00 Value at
1
Including Your Choice of
112 Ten-Inch 75c Double
. Face Records
Other
Specials
59.75
69.75
, 79.75
89.75
I'.ach includes your
choice of twelve 10
inch double-fare 75c
records.
If You Want One of These Instruments It W ill Be to Your Advantage to Purchase at Once
as the Supply Is Limited.
Note These Special Terms
5.00 plaees an instrument in your home pa y 1.00 a week for 4 weeks—then 1.75 a week
until balance is paid- these terms can be arranged on a monthly basis.
Main Floor—We*t.
