Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 16:27:26 -0500 From: Wojtek Sokolowski <sokol at jhu.edu> Subject: Organized religion - organized swindle To: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
Here is a piece that speaks volumes of the nature of organized religion, at least in my neighborhood. I find it amusing. FYI - Bishop Showell is a local slum lord whom our community has been fighting for several years. Wojtek
-----Original Message----- From: washingtonhill [mailto:washingtonhill at starpower.net] Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 3:42 PM To: Ezana Azene; Luther Whiting; Bill Lewin; Carlotta Chappelle; Lynne Mwai; Howard Silverberg; Jane Thompson; Jim Fitzsimmons; Joan Burns; Maureen Smith; Simon Hemby; Wojtek Sokolowski; eric.siegel at baltsun.com Cc: nan.Rohrer at baltimorecity.gov; uincorpo at mdo.net; Margaret Fulcher Subject: Apostolic Property - 1501-1507 E. Baltimore St.
Hi Everyone, Thought you might like to see what happened at court today with Apostolic Church. Maureen
1501-1507 E. Baltimore St.
Update as of 11/20/02
The Citizens for Washington Hill attended a court hearing today, Nov. 20, 2002. The case was postponed. We did, however, get an understanding of the status of the property from Evan Helfrich. Here goes:
Pastor Monk, the pastor of Little Tabernacle Church and owner of the property at 1501-1507 E. Baltimore St. decided to sell his properties to and build a new church in Dundalk.
Bishop Showell contracted to purchase the properties from Monk for $600,000.00. He gave him a small deposit of several thousand dollars. Showell came to settlement a few months later and stated his financing did not come through. Showell still wanted the property and gave Monk more money to hold it for him. This scenario happened several times, Showell could not get financing and Monk requested more money to hold the property for him. The bottom line is that Showell gave Monk $130,000.00 so he could get the property.
In the meantime, a third party took out a mortgage on the properties (probably to cover the building of the church). There is now a lien on the property.
Monk can no longer convey a clean title to the houses. Showell is mad because he has paid $130,000.00 and can't get a title.
What we are hoping is that the court forces Monk to puts the houses up for sale and put the money in escrow. The parties can then fight in court over who gets the money. Hopefully, the houses will be purchased by a reliable investor who will rehab them.
The next court date is December 11, 2002. We will be there!