He made a lot of money from selling books. He was major WT shareholder, no one could question him on anything because of his position in ownership. In fact WT was Russell as someone said. He didn't need any money in his bank account because he did whatever he wanted because in the name of "God" everything was paid from WT funds. In other words if you donated to WT you really donated to Russell.
His divorce appeal hearing in 1907 revealed interesting company called Solon Society which if I understand correctly sold journal through WT - I don't know too much more about it at present. Russell denied knowing anything about it until three "girls" or WT female workers were called to witness stand and we found about another company called "Logan, Land & Whitehouse". For youe information these were the last names of the three females working there who testified that it was Russell who asked them if their last names could be used for this company which appeared to be a "middleman" or a shell company between wholesalers and Solon Society. How financilly Russell benefited? Not sure but surely he did. This is taken from "The Four Presidents of the Watch Tower Society" by Edmunt Gruss p 19-22
Brooklyn Eagle law suit revealed a number of companies that Russell was connected to which once again he denied until fact were brought forth.
Under examination he confessed
"lie confessed being a stock holder in the Pittsburgh Asphaltum Co.. which afterward became the California Asphaltum Co., the organizer of the Selica Brick Co.. which he entirely managed from the Bible House on Arch street, Pittsburgh, the Brazilian Turpentine Co.. of which he had a controlling interest, a cemetery company located in Pittsburgh, the United States Coal and Coke Co., with a capital stock of $100,000, and the "Watch Tower and Tract Society, of which he is president and owner."" - In The Cult Kingdom by John Elward Brown p50
JJ Ross who was also unsuccessfully sued by Russell published "Some Fact, &More Facts about the self styled Pastor Russell" and on pages 35-36 he points details about the USI Co. which was a holding company and he provided the articles from it's charter as well provided information that it was active as late as Nov 1912.
I'm still trying (just started) to get Brooklyn Eagle trial scans as well his divorce hearing transcripts to verify these facts. Obviously if they were false it's more than likely that WT would have sued these individuals. Russell lost his libel suits against JJ Ross as well as against the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper.
So the point is that he had money under WT and he traveled and enjoyed life under the pretense of being a godly man. Why would he need a big bank account when all his needs were taken care of my WT???? He didn't have kids so he left the society to the next guy to take over and oddly enough Rutherford was the next guy.
