While disfellowshipping was doubled down on and reinforced during the time of Raymond Franz, it definitely existed before that when needed and fits right in with Rutherford's personality. Here's an account of Norman Woodworth who left for Dawn Bible Students, and his proto-judicial committee. All the modern hallmarks of apostasy trials are there, from the witch-hunt nature to the big all-important gotcha question at the end:
we .... decided to visit some brethren who had left the Society soon after Brother Russell’s death. .... One morning I found a note on my desk instructing me to appear in Brother Rutherford’s office at once. I did so. He asked me if it was true that I had made this certain visit, and I acknowledged the truth. He told me to be back at his office in an hour, and when I returned, I was confronted by the board of directors. ... When asked if I believed that the Lord had an organization, and that the IBSA was that organization, my reply was that I did not believe that any man or any group of men had a monopoly on God’s truth. .... There was no doubt then that to remain .... with this group meant that one had to obey them rather than God.
He goes on to say that some who knew things weren't right still believed it was the truth and 'waited on Jehovah', a philosophy shared by many PIMI JWs today:
Some brethren preferred to remain loyal to the IBSA, believing that conditions there were only temporary and things would be made right by God in his own due time and manner.