SUPREME COURT: New York County, VERINDA BROWN, etc., Plaintiff, against FATHER DIVINE, et al, Defendants STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW YORK, SS:
CAPTAIN MILLARD J. BLOOMER, being duly sworn, deposes and says:
That I am retired, and reside at Independence Avenue and West 254th Street, Bronx, New York, where I preside over the Bloomer Estates, Incorporated. As a former resident of Harlem, a newspaper publisher for many years, and a member of Woodrow Wilson's Press Delegation accompanying him to France at the close of the World War, I was commissioned in the year 1931 to make an investigation of the Activities of FATHER DIVINE in Sayville, Long Island, for the purpose of getting facts for an expose of His Activities. In the Spring of 1931 I went to HIS home in Sayville, Long Island, together with a woman investigator, and remained there for a number of days. As a result of my observations during that time I was convinced that the Activities there were honest, clean and above-board, and that there were no grounds for criticism, and I wired my client to that effect. I found a number of people living there at 72 Macon Street as guests of FATHER DIVINE, who stated that they had been homeless or destitute, and were being supported by HIM. These and the many visitors who came daily from New York City and elsewhere were entertained at large banquets that were served several times daily. I heard them testify at these feasts that FATHER DIVINE had healed them of many different diseases and afflictions, had clothed them and fed them, and would accept nothing in return for HIS Services. I heard FATHER DIVINE speak and give lectures along spiritual, scientific and Scriptural lines, in which HE said that HE had never taken up a collection, never accepted gifts or donations, and never taken anyone's money, as HIS Services were a Free Gift to mankind and HE was un- obligated to anyone.
Since that time I have been in frequent touch with the Activities of FATHER DIVINE, and I have had many opportunities to test the truth of HIS statements. I myself, and many others in my presence have offered HIM sums of money to pay for hospitality and other benefits enjoyed, but HE refused to accept a penny. I have been in private conferences at Sayville and elsewhere many times, and I have never heard HIM ask anybody for a dollar nor seen HIM take one from anybody in my life.
I do know that in the political campaign of four years ago I was asked if it would be possible to get the endorsement of FATHER DIVINE for the head of the ticket, President Hoover. I told them I did not know, that it was a pretty big contract, but I would try.
I mentioned it to FATHER, and in HIS quiet way I got no reply, but about two weeks after that I received a copy of an address that FATHER had made, and some clippings from a Brooklyn newspaper in which HE had very good reason to say some very nice things about Mr. Hoover.
I knew Mr. Hoover personally, so I went down to the Campaign Committee and
I told them, 'You have lots of money here,
and money is tight. I think it would
be a nice thing to send a check for a thousand or two thousand dollars to FATHER
DIVINE, because it can be put to very good use.' That night I wrote a letter
to FATHER DIVINE and told HIM what I had said, and thought I was throwing a
little bouquet at myself, because I thought a thousand dollars might be worth
while, but I got a special delivery letter from FATHER next morning and HE
said, 'Perhaps you do not know it, but I could not accept any money under any
circumstances . . . If any check does come I will have to return it . . . As
far as you are concerned you are privileged to do what you please with it.'
I immediately went down and showed that letter to the Committee, and said,
'Don't put it on the books, because it is hard to get it off, and do not send
any money.'
Therefore no money was sent, and I received none. Sworn to before me, MILLARD J. BLOOMER, this 25th day of May, 1937 Bloomer Estates, Incorporated, and John W. Walker, Notary Public Editor, Cooperative Newspaper New York County Syndicate Service, New York City.
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