Nice stuff Amazing, I really never knew what the exact charges were against the JFR crew, until now. I had a feeling it was treason or something along that line however.
As far as a central doctrine for the Bible Students, you are very correct, they did not have one. During Russels reign over the WTS, the WT was just mearly an aid to help you understand some of the more difficult parts of the bible, it was not as it is today, the single source that a JW can use to understand the bible and the prophecies, Russel has a very strong lean twords independant thinking and the congragations were not "Ran" as one group or organisation. They were each independent to do as they felt was proper. The Watchtower and other publications were mearly guides not doctrine and law as it is today.
Seedy