Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-12-26
RUBENSTEIN.
The scape-Goat of the Murderer Of Miss
Alexander Released from q Bad
BaryaIn-An Old super.
stitiOn.

The Brooklyn officers are scoumu' ating
damaging evidence against Pesach Ru-
beustein, the peddler arrested for the
murder Of the young Jewess, Sarah Al
exnnJer, in East New York, Saturday
night week ago. Since his imprlson-
ment Rubenstein has given himself up
to the most devout practices, according
10 the most orthodox Jewish rites. 1t is
said that he was partly educated for the
priesthood in Russia. The New York
Sun of Sunday publishes these facts in
relation to q singular contract made by
| Rubeustein:
"The religious observances of Ruben.
stein, the alleged murderer Of the Jew
| ish zirI ut East New York, have attract
ed some attention since his arrest, but
through q Hebrew correspondent OF the
Sun, other religious notions and pIac-
tices have come to light to which he
was formerly accustomed, which are OF
more importance and greater interest in
connection with the charges upon which
| be b imprisoned. Several weeks ago
| this man entered into contract with a
povsrty-stricken fellow Israelite, where
By the latter, for q consideration Of for
ty-fve dollars, agreed to assume all the
aims committed by Rubenstsin since the
last day Of atonement (last fan), and
besr punishment for them in the next
world.
'"rne contract was formally drawn up
In Hebrew, signed, sealed and witness.
cd. This novel agreement was the SUBJ
jeos of much discussion among the Pol
ish Jews ali ths way from Baxter street
to Essex. Such thing, though in ac-
cord with Talmudic law, would not be
dreamed of by any class of Jews, save
the most illiterate that come from Po- |
land and Russia, and even by very few |
Of those after their settlement in the |
United States, and for that reason it |
caused great deal Of talk. Rubenstein
placed foil faith in the efficacy Of the |
bargain, and stood by it.
"When, however, the party OF the
hrst part to the contract, that Is, the |
party who assumed the sins, reached /
home and told his wife, she was so over
whelmed with terror and despair, and
made such an ado about it, that her hus-
band sought out Rubenstein again, and,
rendering back the money, proposed to
resclnd the contract. Rubenstein re-
fused to accept the money or TO return the
instrument. The party of the first part
thereupon brought suit against him in
the Beth Hsmmidrash Ia rabbinal tri-
bunaI, supported by illiterate Polish
Jews), at No. 80 Ludlow street, the cause
10 be tried by Chief Rabbi Abraham
Joseph Ash, of No. IL Suffolk street, and
his two assistants. The suit was decided
in favor of the petitioner and against
Rube nstein on the grounds
"First-That there are some sins for
which not only the transgressor or per-
son assuming them suffers, but also his ,
wife and children, and it did not appear
that Rubenstein had been guilty OF such
sins. The wife being an interested par
ty, was. therefore, entitled to prohibit
the contract If she had not been a party
to the consideration.
"Second-There is q Talmudic law
the Jew from overeharging
D feiiow-Jew more than one-sixth the 6
amount involved In bargain. It did
not appear what Rubenstein's sins had
been, and the question whether he did
not get the better of the other party to
1is contract to greater extent than
,ne-sixth of forty-fiv0 dollars could not
De determined. The contract, there 7
,ore, could not be sustained. :
"From this decision Rubenetein ap- 3
,esled to the Beth Hemmidrssh, in
8ayard street. Here the result was
by resembling the con-
ract, the party Of the first part binding T
himself for the space of one year to re- !
lite daily q certain number of psalms 3
md prayers in Rubenstein's behalf. A
ull account of this case, omitting the
names OF the persons interested, was
In the Judishe Gdzetien, pa Y
yer Published In this city in, the Polish !
herman jargon, the twelfth Of last No. a a
7ember.n