Fritz Springmeier

were obviously quite rich and powerful.The Greek Orthodox church which jealously guards it turf, has repeatedly accused theJehovah's Witnesses of being financed by the agents of "International Zionism." 10 Thistopic is discussed more in chapter 6.RUSSELL'S FINANCESIt will surprise many people to learn that Charles T. and his father Joseph L. were quitepoor in 1870. They boarded and their store was rented to them. In 1870, they were notinvolved in religion yet, and between the two of them they had not a single piece ofproperty. Joseph's personal belongings were $2,000. 11Actually, they were doing fine, considering Joseph had left Ireland during the Potatofamine, and had left owing his brother-in-law money. 12The first good financial break was when Charles T. Russell's uncle by the same namedied Dec. 1875. His father inherited $1,000. 13 Because his father and him were inbusiness together, this was a real boost. According to court testimony, Russell had achain of 5 stores by 1880. Soon Russell invested in oil in Butler Co. and his father andhim opened a scrap metal business in 1882. 14 They closed the men's furnishing businessin 1883.Charles bought out his father, and when his father died in 1897, his will reveals that hehad 3 houses and lots in Allegheny, PA. a house and 3 lots at Farfron Springs, FL. alongwith another 25 acres, 160 acres in Polk Co.,FL and stock in the Carlin Co. Besides thathe had shares of stock in the Railway and Dock Construction Co. of NYC which C.T.Russell inherited. 15Because C.T. Russell's wife divorced him in 1897 Russell hid his money so that his exwifewould not be able to get any support, in court, C.T. Russell would not honestly statehis holdings even under oath. A Reverend J.J. Ross investigated on his own anddiscovered that Russell had lied under oath. Russell was a stockholder in the PittsburghAsphatum Co. which later became the Calif. Asphatum Co. which was the organizer ofthe Selica Brick Co. Russell also had controlling interest in the Brazilian Turpentine Co.located in Pittsburgh, a cemetary in Pittsburgh. & the U.S. Coal & Coke Co. with capitalof $100,000. 16 After having lied in court, Pastor Russell had to make a clean breast ofhis lies when the Reverend Ross confronted him in court with the facts and the chartersof some of Russell's companies. 17Russell also had money invested in timber limits. Russell had just secretly purchasedsilver mines in Nevada, and had gone out to check them out on his western trip when hedied.In 1874, when C.T. Russell began his religious meetings, he also began buyingproperty in Allegheny. He bought again in 1874, 1884, 1885 (two properties), 1889 (fourproperties), in 1890 (five properties), 1892, 1894, 1896, 1897 (two properties), and fourmore properties after the turn of the century in that area alone in his own name. 18Further, the WT Society which he had control of had ownership of numerous properties.Russell had control (99% of the snares) of the U.S. Investment Co.,Ltd. which in turnheld 38 houses and lots in Binghamton, NY, several lots in Tacoma, WA, a farm nearRochester, NY, a house and lot in Buffalo, NY, a farm in OK, 100 lots in TX, a house andlot near Pittsburgh, and 5,500 acres in KT. 19By the way, the original owners of U.S. Investment Co. were John A. Bohnet (5