Was Rutherford a good lawyer? Or was he Bluffing?

by VM44 28 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  Oroborus21

  Greetings!

  The answer to your question is a hard one to assess because of the limited amount of info that we have of his law practice pre-watchtower days. (not too mention the inherent subjectivity)

  Rutherford has gotten criticize for allowing the (mostly honorary) title "Judge" to be used because of his limited service in that capacity, but Rutherford had several years of law practice under his belt before he encountered the truth. It was a couple of sisters that came into his law office one day and sold him the Studies in Scriptures. Not soon after this he expressed his interest, soon became a believer and not long after accepted a position at Brooklyn Bethel eventually becoming the Society's principal lawyer and then also V.P.

  Rutherford probably was a middling lawyer in terms of litigation and such but given his power of oratory he was from that viewpoint, probably a pretty good one. Rutherford did take the lead in arguing before the United States Supreme Court for a few of the JW cases (along with Olin Moyle and then Hayden Covington who soon took over as the principal WT lawyer respectively.) I don't recall his exact record but for one of the Supreme Court cases that he argued it was not ruled in favour of the Witnesses.

  Nevertheless, to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court a lawyer must be in good standing and is also usually a pretty good lawyer in that you have to be able to address the Justices interruptions and questions on the spot.

  As for his training, the admission to law in those days was very different then it is today and we really cannot say that because the requirements and progression was different then that it was worse. Indeed it was probably better back then in some ways. In any case you would have to disqualify all lawyers and judges prior to the modern system in that case.

  As for your citation, assuming it is accurate, this is really not a big deal. Then and now lawyers are cited for contempt of court for all sort of things. This might be bad behaviour or it might simply be getting under the judge's skin, being too vigorous in pressing a point, or disregarding a prior instruction. Even good laywers get sanctioned or cited for contempt of court.

  As for his death that the poster above mentioned, that story is a fabrication. Rutherford died quietly on his deathbed in Beth Sarim. Fred Franz, Nathan Knorr and Hayden Covington were all there and received a "passing of the mantle" ala Elisha-Elijah according to Ray Franz in CofC.

  -Eduardo Leaton Jr., Esq.
• 

  david_10

  
  I think that a well-documented biography of Rutherford would be extremely interesting. After all, he pretty much invented the organization as we know it today, and Jehovah's Witnesses haven't changed much since he established "The Theocracy." And I think, although I'm not postive, but I think that there would be more than enough boozing, womanizing, politics, lying and behind-the-scenes power struggles to put it on the NY Times best seller list.

  Note to Eduardo: I always appreciate your posts. Even when you take an unpopular stance, which you often do, I admire your intelligent comments, your convictions and the courage for expressing them.

  David
• 

  HappyDad

  Thank you Eduardo,

  Too bad there aren't more writings about the personal lives of both of these men. It's amazing that a worldwide organization that is despised by so many got it's start by a charismatic leader and then taken over by what seems to to be a bully, and is still functioning today.

  HappyDad
• 

  Enigma One

  "Good" and "lawyer" never go in the same sentence. Much less a "good lawyer". LOL
• 

  stev

  Well then, if Ray Franz said that Rutherford died in his bed, I would believe him.

  Rutherford must have been an imposing figure. Wasn't he tall? Over 6 feet, I believe. I think his leadership style was heavily influenced by Southern politics. He was involved in politics before joining Russell's movement. He must have been a good speaker, or even orator, so he has that is in his favor, at least.
  Russell and Rutherford make an interesting character contrast. Even the JWs themselves, in the Divine Purpose book I believe, note that the two had differing personalities. I don't think there is any dispute that of the two, Russell was the more likable.
  As a previous poster stated, Russell was charismatic. He was winsome, a good salesman, which was probably developed in his young years by working in the clothing retail business, and a good businessman and investor. He was invited by the Jews to speak on their behalf, which he did on several occasions. There were thousands in attendance. Perhaps the Jews considered it to be a "media event" and hoped to draw on Pastor Russell's name, but it shows that he was a celebrity at the time. Whatever one might think of Zionism, it to his Russell's credit that he was willing to address and speak on behalf of a religion other than his own without attempts at conversion, and be able to address them without offending them. He must have been a charming and attractive person.
  He was canonized by his followers after his death, and Rutherford participated in that canonization. However, in the eyes of others he was a pious fraud. How much of a dark side did Russell have? Was the sainthood a veneer? I would like to believe Russell was well-intentioned and did much good, but yet as a visionary deceived himself, was naive, and could stretch the truth in devotion to his cause, and was overly confident and self-righteous in his own opinions.
  His leadership of the Society was a one-man monopoly, and as a religious leader he yet handled a great deal of money, which looked suspect. However, since by the age of 30 he had developed a chain of five clothing stores, worth $300, 000, he probably thought he was the best qualified, and he likely was.
  He ran the Society autocratically, yet at the time that functioned more as a business. He allowed the churches to have a great deal of freedom and democracy, and they elected their own elders and officers. Yet they considered him "that servant" and willingly gave him much power. Russell in his will wished for the Society to be run democratically by a Board of Directors and an Editorial Committee. However, he did not prepare them during his lifetime for this role, did not prepare them for independence from authority, and perhaps were thus vulnerable to an autocratic leader less benevolent and enlightened than he was. There is no sign that he anointed a successor, least of all Rutherford. How much was Russell responsible for what occurred after his death? How much did Russell prepare for the way for Rutherford? Since the ecclesias at that time were democratically run, it took Rutherford up until about 1930 to finally be able to get them under his control. There were ecclesias that left en masse because they were not willing to give up their freedom to Rutherford. At least half of the Bible Students left. The early Bible Student movement in their attempt to appeal to the public had softened their stance against the churches, and with endeavors like the Photo Drama and the consolidation of the London churches into the largest church in England and the world, were moving toward respectability and could have gone mainstream. However, that changed with 1914 and Russell's death, and the stance against the churches and society hardened and became more vocal and negative, and sectarian. When Russell died, a power vacuum was created, which Rutherford filled. Russell in some ways unfortunately made Rutherford possible which Rutherford exploited, yet he also made provisions to protect the Society and the ecclesias. Rutherford fought his way for years against obstacles to establish a theocracy, which he controlled as a ruthless dictator. Russell might have created the conditions, but ultimately Rutherford was responsible for his actions.

  Steve
• 

  Finally-Free

  How many successful lawyers give up their legal practices so they can peddle God? People usually change careers when they are unable to advance in it any longer, perhaps for reasons of health, personal circumstances, recession, etc. I suspect Rutherford probably lost the respect of his peers in the legal community, possibly because of being a drunken blowhard.

  That's just speculation, but if the Watchtower can speculate than so can I.

  W
• 

  VM44

  Around the year 1916, Russell dismissed Rutherford, and gave (loaned?) him $1,000 to start a law practice in California.

  Rutherford was working as a lawyer for a department store when Russell died.

  After news reached Rutherford of Russell's death ("The Old Man has died."), he returned to Brooklyn and was elected in a no-other-nominations-permitted vote to president of The Watchtower.

  Both Van Amburgh and Macmillan supported Rutherford for president of the corporation. Van Amburgh, according to Macmillan, said that there was "no other person who could do the job." (one wonders why he thought that way)

  I wish there was more documentation for the claim that Russell dismissed Rutherford. That information came from RR and the Bible Students website.

  It is consistent with the fact that Mrs Rutherford, for some reason, ended up living in Los Angeles, along with her son, while Rutherford was back East running The Watchtower organization.

  --VM44
• 

  Stealth

  
  

  Having done some research on Rutherford's legal career there is very little to be found the the court records of the county where Rutherford practiced law. It appears to me that his claim to fame is the fact that he was hired by the city of Booneville Missouri to be "tax collector" for unpaid property taxes. The city agreed to pay him 5% of what he collected in back taxes.

  Not that there is anything wrong with that, even one of Jesus apostles was a tax collector.

  The fact that he took on the title of "Judge" even though he was never an elected judge in order to boost his status among adherents while out of the other side of his mouth condemning all government agencies as products of Satan, is enough proof for me that he was faking it.
• 

  stillconcerned

  Why Enigma--

  I am horrified.

  I know several good lawyers....
• 

  Oroborus21

  Finally Free, I think we have to allow for the possibility of sincerity and genuine piety, at least initiallly. While what you say of persons who make a career change is probably generally true, I think it is less so when one goes from what (might be? or was?) a lucrative position or job to one, which in this case, was a severe pay cut. (not including the value of all the trappings and perks involved.) Many persons in the world have made a similar step and it is not because they were unsuccessful at what they were doing. I am thinking of one example of the Pro-Football player from Arizona state (drawing a blank on his name right now) who enlisted and was killed in action by friendly fire in Iraq. If people believe in a cause, and no I am not talking about people who leave their former lives to join cults, but rather people who leave to become foreign missionaries, to serve inner cities, or for charity work etc., these folks understand that there are more important things in life than money and a job.

  I think initially Rutherford was sincere and later the desire for prominence and power eventually corrupted him and played into his character flaws (like Anakin Skywalker).

  VM44: Yeah I would be a little skeptical of info found on the Bible Student's websites regarding Rutherford at least. Most Bible Students are by definition so because they rejected the sweeping changes that Rutherford brought and tried to impose upon the independent groups that had been associated with Pastor Russell. I have never seen any other source that supports your contention that Rutherford was "dismissed" at Russell's death and in fact all sources support the fact that Rutherford was active as the Society's principal lawyer at Brooklyn Bethel when Russell died. Rutherford was also travelling and delivering talks for the Society at this time according to reports in the ZWT.

  I have a theory that Russell's actual voting shares were in Rutheford's safe or files as chief counsel fo the Society and that was one reason why they were so easily "evaporated" since they had not been delivered into the hands of the five ladies that comprised the "Voting Trust" contrary to what Russell's Last Will and Testament states.

  As for the location of Mrs. Mary Russell and Malcolm, from 1931 to his death in 1942, Rutherford with a the exception of the occasional trip back to Brooklyn or speaking engagement at some conventions, Rutherford lived in semi-retirement at Beth Sarim, the lavish San Diego mansion. Mrs. Rutherford and Malcolm resided back east (probably Baltimore) during this time, and actually this was probably reflective of their relationship as it appears that when Rutherford assumed control of the Organization he pretty much focused on it and not his family.

  It is possible that Mrs. Rutheford made a trip or two back West during this time period and probably saw how good the weather is (especially if it was during the winter months) and decided to relocate after Rutheford's death. In any case, it wasn't until after Rutherford's death that Mrs. Rutherford and her son, Malcolm, moved to Los Angeles and faded into obscurity.

  The information you posted above (sourced from the Bible Students) would have them living in Los Angeles when Russell died and then moving back East and living there while Rutherford was active at Bethel and then have them move to Los Angeles while Rutherford lived in San Diego for a decade? If it weren't for the sources which show that Mary and Malcolm were living back east while Rutherford lived in San Diego and that Rutherford was active at Bethel and as a travelling representative as I have already pointed out, the foregoing might explain why few Witnesses seem to have questioned why the President was on the West coast while his family lived back East but it would probably suggest that the relationship between Rutherford and Mary was tighter than it actually was.

  -Eduardo Leaton Jr., Esq.