The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-13
OMAHA CHURCH RIOT.
Catholic Factions Fight For
Possession OF a Church.
THE PRIEST FIRES INTO A MOB.
Was Begun, but His Revolver
Was Handy-Holds the Fort.


Omaha. March le.-During the early
morning mass as st. Paurs Roman Cath
ole church today q party Of Poles. for
merry members OF the congregation but
ous;ed by Bishop ScanneIl. entered the
church and attempted TO take possession.
Father Karmfnski was saying mass. and
resisted the attempt to capture the church
and one of the invading party opened
fire. Father karminski drew a revolver
and fired into the attacking party. After
q, long fusilade the invaders withdrew.
leaving their wounded in the church.
Those wounded were r. Dargaczewski,
shot through both legs; John Kozfcka,
shot through the knee: Joseph linda, one
OF the priests supporters. stabbed and
beaten over the head. The police were
summoned and after q hard fight took
possession of the church. Several people
was arrested, among them Father Kar-
minski. and are now In jail
The trouble was the outgrowth of dis
sensions which have torn the church for
two years. Bishop Scannell removed the
priest in charge in spite of the protests
of the leading men of the congregation,
and the matter was carried into the
courts. Three weeks ago the district
court decided that Bishop Scannen should
have possession, and the trouble was sup
posed to have ended. When officers ar
rived on the scene this morning they
church building. and It was necessary to
Tight their way into the building There
they found the priest In full possession.
backed by five altar boys, and two wound
ed men lying in the aisles. More trouble
is feared and another battalion of police
has been sent to the neighborhood OF the
church.
Although the attack was a surprise to
the priest. something of the kind had been
expected for some time and he had ar
ranged signal to cali his supporters
around him when 1t should occur This
signsi was the ringing OF the church BELLS
The euemy had tumbled to this fact, and
when the attack was made men pulled
the ropes of the bell outside and tied them
to a fence. Priesu Karminski discovered
this, and after closing the doors Of the
church he sent one Of the boys into the
tower and soon the danger signal was
ringing. AS soon as 1t was heard his sup
porters began to rally. coming to the side
door of the church and being admitted
within. On their way to the building they
were welcomed by the enemy with clubs
and rocks, but. nothing daunted. they ar
rived at the rallying place. The enemy
decided that this would have to be stop
ped, and made a rush for the door. Joseph
linda, who, next to the priest. Is at the
head Of the congregation which has pos
session OF the church, was stationed on
10
the onslaught. But numbers were too
much for him, and he was downed. His
head was battered with the blows OF clubs
and rocks. and he. has a deep and long
cash on the forehead which was made
by a knife. His defense. however, gave
time to the attacked to close and lock the
doors OF the church. and the enemy was
again baked. linda was carried to his
home. While his injuries are severe, they
are not dangerous.
The parties making the attack claim to
have the right on their side They say
that Judge Ambrose decided that the
property belonged to the Roman Catholic
church. and If so the title is vested in
Bishop Scarnell. If this is the case. then
the bishop has the power to appoint a
priest to carry on services. They claim
that the present congregation Is not
Roman Catholic, and therefore II has no
right to the property. The other side also
claims right to the property. They adj
NIT that 1t belongs to the Roman Cath
Ollie church, but they say that as they
paid for 1, with their money they ought
to have voice in the decision as to
whom the title should pass. 1t is now
decided to Vicar General Choka, and they
refuse TO transfer the deed to Bishop
Scannell. So long as the bishop did not
have the deed. they claim that he had re-
fused TO appoint priest, and that there
fore they selected the present priest them
selves. Priest Karminski was raised TO
the priesthood by Archbishop vilatte to
carry on the services OF the church ac-
cording to the Latin rite, and they claim
that he is as much Roman Catholic as
Bishop Scannell.
The congregation is about evenly d.
vided, about eighty families being on each
side The leader of the Scannell division
seems to be Joseph Nowicki. Priest kar-
minski and Joseph Inda appear to be at
the head OF the other faction. The priest
claims that he has been threatened fire.
auently by his enemies. They desire to
Kill. him. he says. and have held meetings
10 lay plans for doing so, but the bishop
has told them not to do this. He thinks
that the whole trouble was caused by No
v,tekt