After the case against the Brooklyn Daily Eagle was lost, Russell wrote on the Watchtower: (February 15, 1913, p. 62)
"THE CASE BRIEFLY REVIEWED
I am interested in everything progressive and tending to prove that we are entering the great Thousand Years of earth’s blessings under Messiah. In the columns of THE WATCH TOWER I have noted the coming of Divine blessings in fulfilment of the prediction that “The wilderness shall blossom as the rose,” “The earth shall yield her increase,” etc. Five years ago we quoted in THE WATCHTOWER columns reports respecting “Miracle Wheat.” We gave the name and address (Mr. Stoner) of the farmer who discovered this new wheat and his reports of its remarkable qualities. We published also the report of Mr. Miller, the Government expert, who thoroughly investigated it and pronounced upon its superior qualities.
Some of our readers purchased seed from Mr. Stoner at $1.25 per pound and approved it. In 1910 one of the friends of our Society, [note: turns out to be brother J. A. Bohnet] who had raised some of this wheat, sold it for seed at $1.00 per pound, and donated the proceeds to our Society. In 1911 the same friend, having raised more seed, asked that THE WATCH TOWER give the benefit of this to its readers at $1.00 a pound post-paid, and appropriate the net results to the furtherance of its work. (...) For the accommodation of our readers, we allowed this seed-wheat to be put up in pound packages and mailed from THE WATCH TOWER Office, just as the U.S. Government handles such seeds at Washington. We did the business at the request of others and in their interest, and credited them on our books with the results, setting aside to them proportionately voting shares in our Society. (...) It was in vain that my attorney sought to show the Jury The Eagle’s malice — that it really was attacking me along religious grounds; that it had set itself as the champion of certain clerical enemies of mine, and was seeking to destroy my influence and, if possible, to drive me from Brooklyn. (...) He was allowed to ridicule the “Miracle Wheat,” although I had nothing whatever to do with it, nor with the naming of it; and notwithstanding the fact that its superiority was proven. He was allowed to inveigh against the fact as criminal, that I hold the office of President of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, and to claim that I hold the office in some corrupt or unlawful manner, and that I misuse the Society’s income in some unexplained way to my own advantage. (...)"
What Russell failed to say in court - and the court failed to ask, apparently - was in whose land this "Miracle Wheat" was being farmed by brother "friend" J. A. Bohnet: No more, no less the land that was acquired for the Rosemount, Mount Hope end Evergreen United Cemeteries; coincidentally, or not, brother J. A. Bohnet was part of the original people who incorporated the entity that owned this land, back in 1905. So, it appears that, while Russell was waiting for the real estate value to climb, instead of using the land as a cemetery, he used it - via J.A.Bohnet - to cultivate the "Miracle Wheat" to sell to Watchtower readers.
So, the claim that the "friend" [Bohnet] donated the results of the "Miracle Wheat" sale for "furthering the work" is an attempt to cover-up a commercial endeavour by the Watchtower leader, Russell.
Edited to add:
In a letter addressed to Russell and published in Zion's Watchtower, (November 15, 1913, p. 350) brother/friend/Watchtower Farmer J.A. Bohnet wrote:
"DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--
Last spring a brother in the West sent me a supply of pea-beans, assuring me "they are very good." I planted them in rows similar to pea-planting and find they bloom and bear continuously from early summer until cut by frost in the fall. We are still picking them for table use at this date, October 14. We have more seed than we need. Am sending you a supply for such of THE TOWER readers as have garden space and may desire some to plant next spring. Should they wish to pay the postage on as many as you could apportion, that would,of course, be their privilege; I donate them. I might state, the stalk resembles a bean stalk, but within the long pods are peas, and suitable for cooking in the pods green, or, after ripening, shelled. They are tender and taste unlike beans or peas. We all like them. Until nearly ripe the pods are stringless or nearly so.
In Christian love, your brother and servant in the Lord, J. A. BOHNET."
Funny how this "brother" fails to mention that he is an employee of the Watchtower corporation and the land that he's farming is controlled by the WTS, thus mocking the unwary readers of the Watchtower magazine, in that there's no "donation" whatsoever, as this is a letter of an employee to his boss.
Eden
