St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-13
BATTLE IN CHURCH.
Polish Catholics in Omaha In
dulge in a Sensation
al Riot.
"A PRIEST USED A REVOLVER
And as q Result Three OF the
Rioters We're Seriously
Wounded.
SECOND RIOT OCCURS LATER
But the Priest and His Forces
Continue to Hold the
Citadel.

OMAHA, March 12.-During the
early morning mass at st. PauRs
Roman Catholic church, today, a
party of Poles, who were formerly
members of the congregation, but
who were ousted by Bishop Scannell,
entered the church and attempted
to take possession. Father Kar-
minski, who was saying mass, re-
sisted the attempt, and one of the
invading parties opened fire. Father
Karminski at once drew a revolver
and fired into the attacking party.
After a long fusillade the invaders
withdrew, leaving their wounded
in the church. These wounded were:
F. Dargazewski, shot through both
legs; John KoZicka, shot in the knee;
Joseph linda, one of the priests sup
porters, stabbed and beaten over the
head. Police were summoned, and
after a hard fight they took posses
sion of the church. Several people
were arrested, among them Father
Karminski, and they are now in Jail.
The trouble was the outgroWth
church for two years. Bishop Scan
nell removed the priest in charge, in
spite of protests of the leading men
of the congregation, and the matter
was carried into the courts. For a
time the church was guarded by the
police whenever services were held,
but three weeks ago the district court
bie,h cI, hay
possession, and that trouble was sup
posed to have been ended. The other
faction, however, was dissatisfied
with the priest in charge, and there
have been mutterings among the
Poles in the neighborhood, but no
outbreak was anticipated by the
police. When the officers arrived
on the scene this morning they found
an Infatuated mob surrounding the
church, and it was necessary for
the police to fight their way into the
building. There they found the
priest in possession, backed by five
altar boys, and the wounded men ly-
ing in the aisles. The leaders of the
mob were placed under arrest and
taken to the police station, followed
by an excited crowd. More trouble
is feared, and another battalion of
police has been sent to the neighbor-
hood of the church.
ATTACKERS RALLY.
Although the attack was surprise
to the priest, something of the kind
had been expected for some time,
and he had arranged signal to.
call his supporters around him when
it should occur. This signal was the
ringing of the church bells. AS soon
as they were heard his supporters
began to rally, coming to the side
door of the church and being adj
mitted. On their way to the build
ing they were welcomed by the enc
my with clubs and rocks, but they
arrived at the rallying place. The
enemy decided that this would have
to be stopped, and made a rush for
the door. Joseph linda, who, next
to the priest, is at the head of the
congregation which has possession of
the church, was stationed on the
steps as a guard, and bravely he
met 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 his
forehead, which was made by a
knife. His defense, however, gave
time to the attacked to close and