The Watchtower of 15 May 1953 quotes what it calls “the official record of the case in question (Police Court of the City of Hamilton, Ontario, March 17, 1913)” as recording this exchange: “Q. You don’t profess, then, to be schooled in the Latin language? A. No, sir. Q. Or in Greek? A. No, sir.” It adds, in its own voice, that “Brother Russell had specifically said that he did not know Greek”.

The Watchtower, “Questions From Readers”

15 May 1953 · p.319 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“The “perjury” charge was not made in court, but in a tract written later by an irresponsible slanderer against whom Brother Russell had brought a libel case. The official record of the case in question (Police Court of the City of Hamilton, Ontario, March 17, 1913) says: “Q. You don't profess, then, to be schooled in the Latin language? A. No, sir. Q. Or in Greek? A. No, sir.” After this he was asked if he knew individual Greek letters, and it was over this that the question of his knowledge of Greek arose. ... Not only has the question they “quote” been reworded, but Brother Russell had specifically said that he did not know Greek.”

A reader asked whether tract charges that the Society's first president was immoral, profiteered from “miracle wheat” and committed perjury about Greek were true. The article answers “No. They were deliberate falsehoods,” and deals with all three.

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