A RESPONSE TO “ME”

            I received the following comment New Years Day from a former AUB member calling himself, “ME.”  His questions are probably typical of many members.  If he had followed the trial or my blog he would have had his answers.  However, because so many of the faithful trust the AUB priesthood for answers as opposed to the courts, I will address the questions as honestly and factually as possible. 

                Question:  I saw the evidence of cash flow money floating all around me - us - in all of the families mentioned, but I still wonder how it was and is that Owen Allred was accused of taking that money, when HIS family never got a penny of it.

                The “cash flow money” you refer to I suspect is the money inveigled to pay off the judgment debt incurred by LaMoine Jenson, Jenson Lumber and AUB.  Or are you referring to Virginia’s money that went towards purchasing the used car lot and auto repair shop, and the half million dollars that was to be laundered through LaMoine Jenson into AUB? 

                As to the culpability of Owen Allred, the court ruling was not based upon how much money each defendant personally filched and converted to their personal use, but upon their involvement in the “pattern of criminal activity.”  When Matthews and Putvin went to Owen asking him to inquire of the Lord what they should do with Virginia’s money, he said, acting as the Presiding Elder of AUB, not to give it back and not purchase the DI Ranch for John Shugart, but to pay off the Granite Ranch and Purchase the DI Ranch for themselves.  John Shugart and Virginia Hill trusted Dennis Matthews, but when Matthews went back to obtain the final $500,000.00, he was acting as a covert agent for Owen and AUB.  A few weeks after the theft, Virginia came looking for Putvin, who according to Matthews had absconded with “every red cent.”  On the advice, and in the company of Ogden Kraut, Virginia went to Owen for help in locating Putvin.  Owen assured Virginia that he knew nothing about her money or where John Putvin was hiding.  He was lying.  He knew where Putvin was and Virginia’s money was in a closet in Vera’s bedroom not 10 feet from where he assured Virginia he knew nothing about her money.

                The same circumstances apply to LaMoine.  Putvin executed two “Assignment of Trust Deeds” that were instruments for the laundering of $500,000.00 of Virginia’s money into AUB coffers, via Last Resort Enterprises, Inc., the used car lot managed by Jim Sandmire and J. LaMoine Jenson, the “sole trustee” of Apostolic United Brethren.

                Jenson Lumber became a Defendant when LaMoine laundered $30,000.00 through a Jenson Lumber bank account.   Matthews and Putvin gave him cash and he wrote a check back to John Galt, the alias used by Putvin while creating several shell corporations used to launder money.  Owen did the same thing, received cash, deposited it in an AUB account and then made out a check to John Galt.

                As far as I know neither Owen nor LaMoine converted any of the money to their personal use.  It was all dedicated to AUB and the businesses created by John Galt. But you know as well as I do that money in AUB and Unified Industries was used to finance the Granite and building projects that enriched both Owen, LaMoine and Jenson Lumber.  

                Question: I'm no longer there. I left for many reasons. I have tons of friends and family still in the AUB. They all told me that Lamoin ASKED them to help with as much as they could, there were no DIRECTIVES to do so.

                Your information conflicts with the information we received from reliable informants.  There were “directives” although probably subtle.  Accordingly, people were asked to take out loans and even assessed two and three thousand dollars per family.  They were told the money must be raised or they would lose the AUB building and endowment house.  There were other inducements as well. 

                It may be of interest that liens have been placed on the Jenson Lumber property, the AUB and CAUB property from Redwood Rd to the recreation yard below the RCA Building, and Harvest Haven.  Virginia has not moved to execute on any of these liens because the payments, thanks to the AUB members, have been timely and appropriate.  It may be of interest that to my knowledge all the checks received by Virginia and her attorneys have been from AUB, none from Jenson Lumber, to my knowledge.

                Question:  I was also wondering if John Llewellyn ever talked about his role in the AUB for so many years? Did he talk about his wives and why they left him - why he left them? Which ever way it was?

me

                My biography is matter of public record.  I knew that when I started writing my motives and adventure in Mormon fundamentalism would be scrutinized.  I became disenchanted long before I left AUB, about the time the LDS Church was inspired to give African Americans the priesthood.   The AUB leadership, although ostensibly angered over the “Black Revelation,” were actually delighted because it gave them the excuse to condemn the Church and claim absolute authority as defined by Verse 7 of Section 132.  I watched in silent circumspection as the AUB priesthood reorganized in an attempt to supplant the LDS Church while metamorphosing into the exact same pontifical attitude of the Church – infallibility.  The official decree was articulated by Ormond Lavery who gave notice in a general priesthood meeting that “God would will not permit his priesthood to lead the people astray.”

                I held no priesthood offices and formed no meaningful relationships.  My focus and labor was dedicated to providing for my family and keeping the peace.  I was ignorant of the priesthood machinations hatched behind closed doors.  What I did was wrong, but I make no apology for I have a posterity that I would otherwise never had.  How could any father in good conscious disavow or otherwise deny his children and grandchildren like I have seen so-called pious polygamists do – placing priesthood pomposity over wives and children. 

                My monogamous wife divorced me to become the fifth wife in a more affluent family.  My third wife divorced me choosing priesthood over her marriage vows.  I still have two children who are members of AUB.  They have their free agency.  In no way have I attempted to interfere with their decisions and associations.  They are excellent kids and I will always be there for them if they need me – nor has my love for them diminished.  We do not discuss my reasons for leaving or their reasons for staying.  Other than that, my personal life and my interaction with my children is none of your business.  My integrity and probity are not at issue.  I am now a contented monogamous.   Nevertheless, the many years of risky, remarkable and at times exciting polygamist experiences I submit gives what I talk about credibility. Besides, I find semantics and syntax, conveying ideas and messages with words, exciting, challenging and an ideal way of submitting to the creative impulse.  And in conclusion, in heeding to the advice of publishers and famous authors, I try to write of things that interest me and I know something about.

A Little Introspection

                Mormonism and polygamy played an integral part in what I am and who I am today.  I was one of the lucky ones for I came out of the encounter much better off than when I went in.  Today I am a Darwinian materialist, a skeptic and realist – a preoccupation or philosophy when seasoned with sound thinking is more gratifying and far outweighs anything spiritual or mythical.  If there should be a God, I neither want or need the services of a middleman, not a pope or prophet.  I will negotiate my own salvation.

                Our ancient forbearers of the hunter-gatherer period in the evolution of mankind passed on to many of us genetically, the love of the hunt and adventure – which seems to have dominated much of my life. As a youth and young man I was obsessed with the hunt of the wild things that fly and with antlers hasten.  I chose an occupation where I was to hunt the pervert that molests children and rapes women, and in that pursuit was astonished by the sinful and macabre side of man.  In hunting for purpose and meaning to life I became a Mormon and was disappointed because of the corruption and deception.  Instead of a refuge from the wickedness of the world I found a haven for predators and malefactors. Religion, I learned, is a business merchandising promises, illusions, myths and with Mormons, plural wives.  But so as not to appear entirely negative there did result some good (besides my children).  And that was the irresistible hunt for concrete evidence and legal rhetoric to help Virginia Hill recover her stolen money. 

                I’m still hunting – for the poignant and the macabre causes of human behavior – which has given my life purpose and meaning.  And in that pursuit I can’t seem to step out of the religious morass for like a swampy quagmire, it keeps sucking me back, because that is where the richest and most intriguing behavior lies. I don’t think I will ever stop hunting.  Why?  Because the hunt is more rewarding than the catching.