Though I don't claim to be a Rutherford Scholar, I have done extensive research into his early life and his involvement in Democratic Party politics. And, Richard Felix's work on Rutherford's legal dealings and his family relations is fairly acurate. Though some have speculated about Joe's membership in the Masons, I haven't found anything that would confirm this. However, I do have documentation that Rutherford was a member of two Mason like fraternal organizations, the International Woodsmens Association, and the Knights of Pythias. William Jennings Bryan was a member of the Knights of Pythias and Rutherford was a great fan of Bryan, so it was logical that he would be a member of the same club.
Regarding the "brothel at Bethel," unless someone has concrete documentation, I would consider it just another wild rumor with no basis in fact. That Rutherford may have turned a blind eye toward homosexual practices among the Bethel staff, this would not be unusual. Just as the Military sometimes overlooks homosexuals in the ranks due to their special skills and the difficulty in replacing them, so Rutherford may have done the same reasoning. He probably had a "don't ask don't tell" policy too.