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Attorney Hayden Covington was legal counsel for Watchtower from 1939 to 1969.[1] In a recorded interview Covington expressed that Watchtower’s former legal counsel, Olin Moyle did not believe in “the self-defense” with a result that he quit.[2] Covington did believe in “the self-defense” and Watchtower subsequently asked Covington to work as its legal counsel, which offer he accepted.
Chronology of Events
June 25, 1939: Rutherford personally experienced a small piece of persecution—compared to what other Witnesses were enduring at the time—when opposers attempted to interrupt his lecture themed “Government and Peace” at the Madison Square Garden convention. An incident occurred as a result where Rutherford’s personal secretary, William Heath was arrested and tried for assault. Hayden Covington testified at this trial with a result that Heath was not convicted.
July 31, 1939: Watchtower’s in-house counsel, Olin Moyle gave notice he was leaving Bethel effective September 1, 1939. He included events related to the Madison Square Garden incident in his reason for leaving. As mentioned earlier in this article, attorney Hayden Covington expressed in regard to the Madison Square Garden incident that the then staff lawyer for Watchtower, Olin Moyle did not believe in “the self-defense” and is why he quit as Watchtower’s general counsel. However Olin Moyle’s depiction is that the ushers did, on that occasion, do an excellent piece of work. The presentation of this incident by Covington compared to that of Moyle suggests Rutherford wanted stiffer “defense” than Moyle was ready to approve of. According to court documents Rutherford encouraged Bethelites not to be “sissies” or “unmanly” when it came to defending their persons, or defending property they are responsible for.[3]
September 15, 1939: By way of a Watchtower article Rutherford instructs Witnesses it “is the right of every man to ward off an attack and to use such force as to him appears to be necessary to safeguard himself from personal injury or injury to his property. The same right of self-defense may be exercised by him for the protection of his near relations or close friends, his brethren.”[4] The part of this statement expressing “such force as to him appears” necessary to safeguard “property” was taken seriously by Witnesses, who began arming themselves with firearms to protect their person and buildings, such as Kingdom Halls etc.
June 10, 1940: Edwin Bobb was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. He was congregation servant for the Kennebunk, Maine congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Bobb issued weapons to other local Witnesses and turned the Kingdom Hall into a firing platform anticipating trouble from rioters. Then Bobb and fellow Witnesses waited in ambush. Some men showed up in a car and before it was over two men were wounded, one seriously. (Ironically the one seriously wounded is said to have had his life saved by administration of a blood transfusion without which Bobb would have faced a charge of murder.) The only firearms confiscated belonged to the local Witnesses. Police confiscated 5 rifles and 2 shotguns from the Kingdom Hall. Bobb was later convicted of attempted homicide. Attorneys Hayden Covington and Charles Smith were counsel for Bobb.[5] After incarceration Bobb worked at Bethel or on special foreign assignment for Watchtower from 1948 until 1956.
August 20, 1940: Author Cox was arrested and charged with the murder of Deputy Sheriff Dean Pray. Cox had been actively working in association with Watchtower for 33 years prior, and had been assigned at the time by Watchtower to the Portland, Maine congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Cox carried credentials issued by Watchtower’s President, J. F. Rutherford. A few weeks prior to the killing of officer Pray, Cox had purchased a revolver to carry in the book-bag he carried in his public ministry. This is the firearm Cox used in the killing of officer Pray. Cox claimed self-defense. Attorney Hayden Covington was assigned by Watchtower as defense counsel.[6] Cox was convicted of murder and appeal was denied.
Attorney Hayden Covington was legal counsel for Watchtower from 1939 to 1969.[1] In a recorded interview Covington expressed that Watchtower’s former legal counsel, Olin Moyle did not believe in “the self-defense” with a result that he quit.[2] Covington did believe in “the self-defense” and Watchtower subsequently asked Covington to work as its legal counsel, which offer he accepted.
Chronology of Events
June 25, 1939: Rutherford personally experienced a small piece of persecution—compared to what other Witnesses were enduring at the time—when opposers attempted to interrupt his lecture themed “Government and Peace” at the Madison Square Garden convention. An incident occurred as a result where Rutherford’s personal secretary, William Heath was arrested and tried for assault. Hayden Covington testified at this trial with a result that Heath was not convicted.
July 31, 1939: Watchtower’s in-house counsel, Olin Moyle gave notice he was leaving Bethel effective September 1, 1939. He included events related to the Madison Square Garden incident in his reason for leaving. As mentioned earlier in this article, attorney Hayden Covington expressed in regard to the Madison Square Garden incident that the then staff lawyer for Watchtower, Olin Moyle did not believe in “the self-defense” and is why he quit as Watchtower’s general counsel. However Olin Moyle’s depiction is that the ushers did, on that occasion, do an excellent piece of work. The presentation of this incident by Covington compared to that of Moyle suggests Rutherford wanted stiffer “defense” than Moyle was ready to approve of. According to court documents Rutherford encouraged Bethelites not to be “sissies” or “unmanly” when it came to defending their persons, or defending property they are responsible for.[3]
September 15, 1939: By way of a Watchtower article Rutherford instructs Witnesses it “is the right of every man to ward off an attack and to use such force as to him appears to be necessary to safeguard himself from personal injury or injury to his property. The same right of self-defense may be exercised by him for the protection of his near relations or close friends, his brethren.”[4] The part of this statement expressing “such force as to him appears” necessary to safeguard “property” was taken seriously by Witnesses, who began arming themselves with firearms to protect their person and buildings, such as Kingdom Halls etc.
June 10, 1940: Edwin Bobb was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. He was congregation servant for the Kennebunk, Maine congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Bobb issued weapons to other local Witnesses and turned the Kingdom Hall into a firing platform anticipating trouble from rioters. Then Bobb and fellow Witnesses waited in ambush. Some men showed up in a car and before it was over two men were wounded, one seriously. (Ironically the one seriously wounded is said to have had his life saved by administration of a blood transfusion without which Bobb would have faced a charge of murder.) The only firearms confiscated belonged to the local Witnesses. Police confiscated 5 rifles and 2 shotguns from the Kingdom Hall. Bobb was later convicted of attempted homicide. Attorneys Hayden Covington and Charles Smith were counsel for Bobb.[5] After incarceration Bobb worked at Bethel or on special foreign assignment for Watchtower from 1948 until 1956.
August 20, 1940: Author Cox was arrested and charged with the murder of Deputy Sheriff Dean Pray. Cox had been actively working in association with Watchtower for 33 years prior, and had been assigned at the time by Watchtower to the Portland, Maine congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Cox carried credentials issued by Watchtower’s President, J. F. Rutherford. A few weeks prior to the killing of officer Pray, Cox had purchased a revolver to carry in the book-bag he carried in his public ministry. This is the firearm Cox used in the killing of officer Pray. Cox claimed self-defense. Attorney Hayden Covington was assigned by Watchtower as defense counsel.[6] Cox was convicted of murder and appeal was denied.
This chronology evidences that at the time Watchtower supporters understood it was entirely appropriate to prepare to exert lethal force in defense of self or in defense of property. This resulted in conviction of Jehovah’s Witnesses who acted on what Watchtower had published to date.
Contemporary Watchtower teaching does not encourage Witnesses to carry concealed firearms or to turn Kingdom Halls into firing platforms. But in yesteryears that was not necessarily the case.
Marvin Shilmer
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References:
1. Hayden Covington resume. Snippet:
2. Interview with Hayden C. Covington conducted on November 19, 1978 by Jerry Murray and his wife, both Jehovah’s Witnesses. Snippet:
3. Olin Moyle vs. Watchtower et al, 1940, p. 1481 testimony of Nathan Knorr. Snippet:
4. The Watchtower, Sept. 15, 1939, pp. 279-280. Snippet:
5. State v Bobb snippet:
6. Portsmouth Herald, September 25, 1940:
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