Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-09-08
A CLERICAL CHARGE,
PREFERRED AGAINST REV. V0GElS-
D0RfF,
OF the Hebrew Temple, by San Fran
cisco Paper-He Denies II
Emphaticaly.

On Saturday afternoon, the REGISTER
was in receipt Of paper in which was
the following editorial:
"REv. JACOB yoGEIsDoRFF.
"The San Francisco Hebrew OLSercer, a
responsible and intelligent authority,
saws of the Rev. Jacob Vogelsdorff, who
has been elected minister Of the Wheel
ing, w. Va, Congregation, that he is
Thinner of the first water that
HE is A LEPER IN THE PULPIT,
that he is utterly incapable OF preach
ing with any sort OF sincerity and that
1T is disgrace that such persons las
Vogelsdorf) are cOuntenanced as lead
ers of Judaism These remarks Of our
California contemporary must not be
passed over lightly; either they are ma
iicious and libelous or they are the re-
suit of knowledge of some serious moral
defect in the character of the occupant
of Jewish pulpit.
eve never heard OF the Rev. Jacob
VogelsdOrf before his election TO the
Wheeling, w. Va, Congregation and
we know nothing about him. But the
ObSeTrer claims to have information con-
corning him which justities what 1t says.
The O5Serrer is doubtless ready to pro-
duce ITS charges and to prove them and
it behooves the Wheeling, W. Va, Con-
gregation to call upon the publisher OF
that paper to do so. Either the ObSeTrer
has been guilty of a cruel and unjust
libel and should be prosecuted for 1t, or
Mr. Vogelsdorff really is "a ieper in the
pulpit aud must 90. Let us learn at
once which it is."-Rgormer and Jetrtsh
Times.
.Ascertaining that number OF the
prominent Hebrews in the city had also
received marked copies OF the RtOrmer,
and that the above article was causing
much discussion and no little sensation,
a REGISTER envoy sailed about among
the Israeltes yesterday, with view to
finding out the current opinions and
probable action. DIR. NOgelsdOrf has
been the minister of the Wheeling con-
gregation for five weeks, succeeding DIR.
A. l.. MAYER, now in Baltimore. a
species of competitive examination was
held. four others cOntestlng, and DIR.
Jacob Theodore Nogelsdorf was the
choice of the committee.
About o'clock yesterday afternoon,
our envoy succeeded in overhauling the
reverend gentleman on Market street,
and was, by him, signaled to lay to. The
Rabbi was in search OF the newspaper
man upon the same business. A mutual
conference society was at once formed
and the following conversation ensued:
al know what you want, Mr.. REGISTER,
and was looking for you. | suppose you
have also seen that article III the he
former. 1t it not sO?"
Upon receiving an affirmative reply,
he proceeded:
CIT Is A BASE, MALIGNANT ISLANDER,
and il is utterly beneath my notice. 1t
is unworthy the attention OF gentle
man and one in my position"
We ventured to suggest that the article
quoted contained grave charges, which,
II untrue, were "cruel and unjust libel, >"
and as such should be refuted.
He seemed touched that even
shadow of doubt could be
implied, and exclaimed: "What! shall |
become another Conkliug or Beecher,
Shall take up the cudgel and open a
newspaper controversy with such a base
villain as the author OF that malignant
article You shall hear. Our church
had a meeting upon the matter this
morning. Come with me and hear what
the officers of the Temple have to say
We went. A short walk brought us to
the residence of b. ROsenstein, Esq,
on Sixteenth street, and in moment
the trio sat in that gentleman'S parlor.
Our business was announced by DIR.
Vogelsdorff, who, with wave Of his
hand, transferred his vindicatiOn to Mr..
Rosenstein, saying: "Sdgea SIC linen"
Mr.. r., who is President of the con-
gregation, said: ave heard Of the ar
ticle in the RgOrner and
CALLED MEETING
of the officers at the Synagogue this
morning. We did nothing and took no
notice OF the charges
"Oh. so base and malignant were
they" interhneated DIR. Nogelsdorf.
1--WE knew nothing of their truth,
pursued the President, "and thought
them beneath us. The Doctor is with
us now and he is perfectly satisfactory
to us. So we dismissed the matter"
"Did you attempt any investigation
Of those charges?"
"No, we did not"
The Rabbi here said: "You can see
the malice of il, Mr.. REGISTER. That
article was written by William Saalblrg.
never contributed TO his paper, that
was it. Why did not the other popular
Jewish papers copy it? Why did not
the LsrdSlite, the Deborah and the others,
copy it? All, it is because Inever wrote
anything for his paper. | cannot take
any notice OF this; it is beneath me. |
am here with my congregation and have
nv mission to perform. They are salts
fled with me, is it not SOP appealing to
Mr.. Rosenstein, who bowed, atfirma-
lively.
"From what place did you come TO
Wheeling, Doctor" asked our envoy.
Dayton and St Louis"
"Were you ever in San Francisco"
81 was there seven years ago and was
presiding officer of our Grand Lodge"
"Did YOU have any enemies?'
ayes, with ashrug, land who hasn't
Everybody that persists in doing right,
without regard to consequence, will
have enemies"
"Can YOU tell me what a "Tintner"
is?" But neither of the gentlemen could
define the medical term, and the con-
ference came to aclose.
"You can see any of my congrega-
ton" said DIR. Vogelsdorti, upon
emerging; "come, l will 90
with YOU now" We declined his
offer for the time being, determined
to follow his advice, but to see them
without the embarrassment OF express
ing an opinion in his presence. We
had no difficulty in finding several
prominent Hebrews, and the first inter-
view went to show
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
Among the members of the Synagogue.
In our DiogOneic search fCr truth, we
heard but little to tine prejudice of Mr..
VCgelsdortf, but an occasional shrug
ged shoulder or elevated eyebrow spoke
volumes in a language not easily mis-
understood. One gentleman said: Il
would dislike exceedingly to saw any,