The herald., 1895-09-12
When Greek Meets Greek Inn
partially Is a Sine Qua Non
HINTS ATAN IMMORAL WATCH
The Queer Story of Naughty Piece Of
Theological Mechanism
The Information That Rabbi, a Leader and
Teacher Has Such Thing Leads to
an Investigation

Rabbi A. Blum's account of the trouble
between himself and Leopold M. Loeb,
which occurred on Tuesday opposite the
Bryson block. Today's issue contains
Mr. Locb's version of the same trouble.
When Greek insists upon meeting Greek
it is necessary that an impartial narration
be given of that meeting and, if necessary
to do this, to give the experiences of each
of the belligerenta principals. Lsopold
NJ. Loeb, proprietor of the Pacific Install
ment company, 1881 South Spring street,
said.
''On last Tuesday Rabbi Blum was in
the. store of the Blanchard Fitzgerald com
pany. Two or three gentlemen were also
! present VINO heard Blum make certain in
sulting remarks regarding lady and
while he did not connect those remarks
with a name, yet those gentlemen are
positive that the woman he referred to
was my wife. who is the president of the
womans orchestra. l was naturally
enough enraged at this. Later, near the
corner of Spring ard Second streets
came across Rabbi Blum. The latter
raised his cane as if to strike me and
caught the gentleman by the throat.
did not hit him. His face was all
scratched up before 1 touched him. II
seemed as If some one had given him a
thrashing before 1 saw him, or. possibly,
he had been through cider mill in ord eI
to have squeezed out of him his super
huous cussedness. I don't know as to
that, but | do know that his face was
badly scratched before 1 touched him.
g acted in the capacity of organist
for the congregation long before Blum
came upon the scene as rabbi. After the
Hebrew holidays in 1893, the finances OF
the church were foLnd to be low and as
a result there being no money to pay for
the orgapist's services, there was nc
music for while. In the course OF time
| was requested to resume my duties as
organist at half wages. 1 refused the
offer. Some one else was then engaged,
but the party fell down-that is he did
not suit those having the matter in
charge. In 1894, Levy, one of the direct
ors, and Sanderson, the secretary and
treasurer of the church, approached me
and in September last l accepted the
position of organist and choir master u,
an increased salary. One OF the condi-
tons of my acceptance was that Rabbi
Blum should not interfere in any way
with my work, that he should confine his
efforts and talents to his lectures anC
leave to me alone the musical direction
| These conditions were accepted by Blum
| who seemed SO we'll pleased with the ar
rangement that he personally promised
me the sum of $40 to encourage me in my
work. This $40 he never paid and denies
ever promising the sum to me.
! AFTER the recent holidays | resigned
| my position as oragnisG-I was not dis.
| charged. and l was paid in full for the
| services rendered. | gave up music and
| entered upon another business. l also
| gave up my pupils. Rabbi Blum has a
| wrong impression that | nave been
| against him IN his ambitions. | once
| said that a translation of his from Eng.
| lish into French was poor one, and vel
think so.
DIR. Weller. in letter to the board Of
| directors, spoke of Blum's 'immoral
watch. do not know of my own knowl
egde that Blum has such naughty piece
OF mechanism in his possessi On. | have
never seen 1t, but L have seen DR.. Weller 4
letter in which he speaks of it. What dc
l call an immoral watch? Why, as l am
given to understand. it was a watch, con-
| ceaIed in the cases ana revealed by the
touch of a spring being the figure of q
man and another of woman, both nude,
and vile IN their suggestiveness."
! The intimation that a rabbi, the teach
er and leader OF large ana reputable
body OF Hebrew citizens and worshipers,
| shoulu be the possessor of an innocent
| appearing timepiece, but which. at the
| will of the operator, could be transformed
into a subtle, despicable means or evil,
| was the warrant for an effort to learn TIRE
! truth in the matter. To accomplish this
| ha FOL int obtained
| The Herald has collected the statements
| and it leaves to the public the privilege
of passing an opinion upon them.
| A Herald reporter called on l.. 3. Cohn
| the Nam street pawnbroker, and in an
swer to questions the gentleman said
Il do not care to discuss this matter fol
the public. Much in jury might result
to me from an injudicious opinion. Mr.
| Blum is dangerous man, and has de
olared his intention OF making it hot fol
| any one who ventures to express an Ad
verse opinion on his actions. In regart
to the watch alluded to. | cannot say any
! thing. II | do know | cannot afford tt
give any information on the subjec !. Mr.
Malino of the Cuncordia club has seen thu
| watch ou speak of and has had it in hi!
possession for one night"
| Mr.. Malino Was seen at the Concord;
club rooms, and showed decided indis
position to talk. When questioned as tt
to say anything about the watch you refe
to. / will neither affirm nor deny thu
truth of what Mr.. Cohn has said, but
will say that he knows more about thu
| eXitence of the watch than | do. Mr.
Blum has never shown himself to be thu
kind of man that we wanted at the heat
of the church. and his resignation wa
eagerly accepted. l myself know nothing
of the immoral stories that are in circu
lation about him."
Mr.. +. 0. Cornelius, jeweer, wa
seen in regard to the rumor that he hat
fixed O watch for Blnm, and he said
Eyes, l remember the watch perfectly
There are not many jewellers who can fl,
a watch of that kind, and very lew are il
existence out here. 1 remember tn
| watch as an old German repeater. mad
of gold. and open faced, with the olu-styl
| dial plate. By pressing a spring in tn
watch Il small plate of the dial move'
| aside, exposing two nude figures, on
male and the other female, in lewd at
tItude. l cannot say that Blum carried
this watch with him habitually, but
distinctly remem Der that it was he VIII
brought it to me to be repaired. He dit
good deal of peddling among hi
friends. and it may have come into hi
possession in that manner"
The reporter called again on Mr.. Cohn.
the pawnbroker, and IN reference to thi
watch question hs said II cannot sa,
anything about it. One thing l know
and that is that Blum has lately been try
ing to sell the watch to Theodore Bauer
who keeps a saloon on Alameda street
This is pretty fair indication that he ba
had the watch in his possession quite re
GENTLY"
Another gentleman, who for certa,l