How were Rutherford's Cadillacs purchased? (page 6)

Lady Lee

The reference is in Gruss' book The Four Presidents of the Watch Tower Society page 31-32. Gruss is referencing Salter's letter dated April 1, 1937 regarding Rutherford's behavior, re: drinking and lavish lifestyle.

The quote he uses from the letter states:

... among these luxureis I cannot refrain from mentioning the following:
Not one, but two 16-cylinder cars, one in California and one in New York...
Your New York apartment, easily worth a rental of $10,000 a year, and its luxurious furnishings
Your palatial residence on Staten Island, camouflaged as essential to the broadcasting station WBBR,
... A Further small place of seclusion in the woods of Staten Island.
Your further abode at San Diego, for which you yourself told me you were offered $75,000, but it could not be sold and the funds used to help pioneers because it was deeded to Davis [of the Bible] --- what hypocracy!
Commodius and expensive quarters in Magdeburg, Germany, for the convenience of THE PRESIDENT, to say nothing of provision made for your comfort in London

So the information about the 2 Cadillacs somes from Salter and is quoted by Gruss.

Gruss also asked a New York Realto about the luxury apartment that was leased by Rutherford at a cost of $10,000 a year. Gruss wanted to know what that would cost today.

The Realtor said to forget it. He jokingly said his calculator didn't register that high.

No doubt about it. Rutherford lived the good life at the expense of his followers.

TD

Thanks Farkel and Lady Lee.

Gruss mentions the Cadillacs in two other books as well Jehovah's Witnesses: Their Monuments To False Prophecy (1997) pp. 44-46 and Jehovah's Witnesses: Their Claims, Doctrinal Changes and Prophetic Speculation (2001) pp. 215,216

thetrueone

Interesting stuff thanks Farkel and Lady Lee

Whats weird is that he was posing with both a two coupe and a four door sedan in front of Beth Sarim.

Doesn't really matter there's no question he was living high on the hog when most people including his underlings

in New York were fighting the Great Depression.

Like I mentioned before he knew of the financial assets that were accumulated by Russell into the WTS.,

he grabbed it for himself and used the printing facilities to publish some of his own books, all the while languishing in the acquired wealth.

VM44

It is interesting to note that Judge Rutherford's book soon ceased to be distributed by The Watchtower after he died in 1942.

thetrueone

Many books were put out by him including The Golden Age and The Watchtower magazines.

The WTS. exploitation of people continues on to this day

In 1921, Rutherford published his first book, The Harp of God, followed by a further nineteen books, each with one-word titles, such as Creation (1927), Jehovah (1934) and Children (1941). His publications reached a total of 36 million copies. [ 81 ] In 1925 he gained full control over what doctrines would be taught in Watch Tower Society publications, overruling the refusal by the five-man Editorial Committee to publish his article, "Birth of the Nation", [ 82 ] which contained significant doctrinal changes. [ 83 ] Rutherford later claimed Satan had "tried to prevent the publication of that article ... but failed in that effort"; [ 84 ] In 1927 the Watch Tower Society ceased printing of Russell's Studies in the Scriptures. [ 85 ] The Editorial Committee was dissolved in 1931, after which Rutherford wrote every leading article in The Watch Tower until his death. [ 86 ] The 1933 Watch Tower Society Yearbook observed that the demise of the Editorial Committee indicated "that the Lord himself is running his organization". [ 87 ]

Lady Lee

The 1933 Watch Tower Society Yearbook observed that the demise of the Editorial Committee indicated "that the Lord himself is running his organization". [ 87 ]

It just didn't say the the "Lord" was Rutherford himself

thetrueone

The 1933 Watch Tower Society Yearbook observed that the demise of the Editorial Committee indicated

"that the Lord himself is running his organization".

I think what that article was trying to imply was that YES the WTS. was being guided by god's holy spirit ,

which they've said many times previously. Self validation has its useful attributes in concerning a religious publishing company

such as the WTS.

saltyoldlady

A story that was shared with me many long years ago was that someone who had become very very wealthy via ownership of Coca Cola bottling rights - sold for a small royalty fee per bottle - in those days they actually used glass bottles - became converted to the WTS - think he may have lived back in Iowa somewhere because this elder that knew him hailed from that area - and he delighted in giving Rutherford "gifts" as well as donating large sums of money to the WTS - he probably thought this was a manner in which he could serve God and it was apparently easy enough for him to do - I remember also being told his daughter worked for Rutherford as a secretary - wondering if that could have been Bonnie Boyd. Someone who knows how to research these things can probably verify all this for us - because for me it is simply part of the rumor mill - but if this is so the old man was able to keep an eye on how his monies were being used that way obviously, a savvy move and as I remember he provided the money for the mansion. That Bonnie's husband's name would be on the deed makes sense if this is the case.

Anyway it always tickles my funny bone when I think about the fact that Coca Cola money helped finance the WTS empire - because I view Coca Cola as one of the devil's inventions. Just kidding but it doesn't truthfully contribute to anyone's physical health and the original formula did contain cocaine. The formula was on Yahoo news channel not too long ago. Think the drug was eliminated in about 1904 or something like that. But that history makes it even more amusing.

thetrueone

Farkel put up some information about the money donated to the WTS. which was used to buy most likely both the Beth Shan and

the Beth Sarim properties.

But lets not forget that the WTS. had its own acquired wealth conglomerated together by C Russell, before these rich donations were given.

I guess Rutherford didn't read that Scripture that stated it would be as easy for a rich man to enter his kingdom, as a camel to pass through

an eye of a needle. or something to that effect

Quentin

Perhaps this is jw myth, but it was my understanding that one of the Caddy's was armour plated with bullet proof glass. The same type of Caddy Capone rode around in. I grew up hearing stories from old timers bout his"cane boys" and gun totting body guards. He liked the big Havana cigars as well. Intersting topic. What I wrote may be simple jw gossip mill grinding along then as today.

How were Rutherford's Cadillacs purchased?

Share this