The Washington critic., 1890-04-03

Two Miscreants OTer n Child for the
Altar to Rabbi.

Altar to Rabbi.
From NE LeUdat Herald.
A few days ago two Greeks presented
themselves at the palace of the Grand
Rabbi OF Smyrna and asked to see him
on very important business. The ven
cradle Abraham Palaccl being unwell,
they were asked to come another day
Next day they called again. The
Rabbi, not having yet recovered, his
son, q man of forty-five, learning that
their business was urgent, asked II they
could not explain IL to him.
After some desultory conversation
they consented, at the same time re-
questing to be conducted to some re-
mote apartment, where there was no
danger of being overheard. This being
done, one Of them said to him: every
one has his particular religion we are
| aware that part of yours is to offer at
I Easter q Christian child in sacrifice;
now we are ready, for the sum Of e400,
to furnish you with fine, plump and
| healthy Christian child, q little Greek
| girl of years, for your sacrifice, and
the child shall be obtained in such
manner as to insure the most profound
| secrecy"
The rabbits son, as may well be sup
posed, was thunderstruck at the pro-
posal, but he dissembled his feelings
and stated that, before he could enter
into any definite arrangements with
them, it was necessary he should con
suit his father. They having assented
to this, he withdrew TO his fathers
room and briefly related to him the
story of the grim proposal.
Speaking in the Hebrew tongue, for
fear the men outside should under
stand, the father told him to dispatch
q messenger speedily to the head
quarters of the police, requesting the
chief of police to send Immediately an
officer with body of gendarmes, and
then to go back and keep the Greeks
under the pretense of discussing the
! price of their crime. Emin Effundi
speedily answered the summons. and
on the arrival of the zaptiens the rabbi
posted them behind door concealed
by heavy curtain, and sent word to
/ his son that the men had come this
message, like the previous one, being
delivered in Hebrew.
One of these individuals asking what
the man had said, Nissim Palacci an
swered that his father, although i'll,
wished to see them. Ushered into the
presence of the rabbi, he began asking
them in Turkish, so that the officials
might understand the affair, how and
where they got the child, how the sale
was to be effected and many other par
ticulars. The examination of the case
satisfactorily concluded, he whistled,
the police came in, and having man
acled the men. led them off to prison.
As they were led through the streets
some inkling of the affair seems to have
transpired, and the police had to be
strengthened to repress the people, who
looked as If about to take vengeance on
the miscreants,
At a time when books like the
"Crime du Sang" are published and
read, this case comes opportunely as a
strong proof of the fallacy Of the idea
prevalent among the ignorant that the
Israelites sacrificed child at their
pascal rites. say of the ignorant, for
those who have read must remember
to what trouble and expense Sir Moses
Montefiore put himself in tracing this
story and bringing to light the men
dacity of this accusation, and how well
he succeeded in freeing his co.religion-
lists from the onus of this crime.
They must also be aware that like
accusation was brought by the Romans
against the early Christians. But what
is to be done with these would-be mur.
derers is what everyone will ask. I'M
prisonment is certainly not an adequate
punishment for men who in cold blood
and for the sake of filthy lucre, planned
the destruction of an innocent child.