The sun., 1896-10-07
BATTLE In A SYNAGOGUE.
TAILOR ROTNER DANCED BEFORE
TIE PROPER TIME.
For His Anticipation or - Ceremony or the
Feast of Tabern acles the Congregation
smoto Him Hip md ThtEh-A General
AnnInn IernnIted = Ono Arrcpt Mndo.

Feast of Tabernacies the Congregation
smoto Him Hip nnd TbtRh-A General
Melee Resulted - Gao Arrest Made.
Louis Rotuer. tailor living at lis Ridge
street. has pair of black eyes, cut nose, and
a badly bruised head, which he owes to his re-
ligious zeal and enthusiasm. According to his
story about week ago the congregation of the
synngoCue at 30 Attorney street, which he at
tends. made a football Of him because he began
n certain religious ceremony before the rabbi
gave tho signal
As yesterday was the first day the tailor has
been able to leave his bed since the fight took
place he must have been In pretty bad shape
when the congregation got through with him.
Now that he is convalescent ho declares that he
is going to get even with his assalants, and
VOWS that he will never leave the trail until he
has rounded up in court the last one of them.
He started off yesterday us soon as he got out
of bed. and the first man to feel his vengeance
was Simon Arschowsky, who lives in Attorney
street. over the synagogue, and is one of the
pillars of the temple. Arschowsky Is now under
bail for trial in the Court of Special Sessions.
while Rotner. his head swatned in bnndaGes,
Is stalking around the east side looking fofs
more victims.
The enormity OF Rotner's offence cannot bs
appreciated unless one is conyersant with the
religious fervor of the Polish and Rus,
sian Jews in the east side colony during feast,
days. With them religious ceremonies must bo
performed correctly, or not at all, and corporal
punishment, followed by social ostracisation
and the wrath of the Congregations is the fate OF
the man who violates. no matter In how small q
degree, the prescribed formula. Tho east side
RynaRogues, rs a rule, are not separate buid-
ings. but consist Of two or three rooms
in a tenement, tho walls OF which have been
knocked out, as to make one large ROOM
han chair nr henchaR n mt In md n tRberS
nacle with its adiuncts erected, the synagogue
is complete. In some tenements there Is a synas
gogue enoh floor. The congregations are gems
orally very poor. and the rabbi IS often n man
who works with his needle six days in the week
and breaches on the seventh.
1t was to such a congregation that Rotner and
Arschowsky belonged. and it was In OF
these tenement synagogues that the former in-
advertently started free for-all fight on the
night OF Sept. 20. the night which celebrated
tho closing OF the Feast of Tabernacles, and tho
night above all others when strict adherence to
the rules OF the synagogue is enjoined. At the
close of tho Feast of tho Tabernacles, the Jews
thanksgiving. and while 1t Is a part of the SER
vice. there is so much of Importance in what
anxiety to dance that he cannot wait for the
proper time to arrive is TO lay himself open to
The story Of tho row in the Attorney street
tynagogue was told in patches by witnesses in
tho Essex Market Ponce court yesterday a
reporter gained few more details in regard to
it in the neshborhood. Whom put together
they sst forth that on the night nf Sept 2s
went on slowly. and everybody apparently
waited impntiently for the dance. suddenly. IL
seems. full i've minutes before the rabbi was
ready for the dance. man rose from bench
IN the rear Of the synagogue and began waving
Then his feet began to shuttle, he swung him
self around and around; he sang and rolled his
rlances Of the congregation. the warn ing kicks
which those nearby administered, had no effect.
and long whskers. and, as he continued. his
dancing became more and more violent
Its Rotner," said one.
Its Rotner and he's dancing" said another.
This was said In Polish. and the identity of the
And still Rotner twisted his body y'f and waved
his hands. The rabbi stopped the service, and
last day Of the feast had been .desecratsd and
that the congregation was in danger OF being
laughed At At by other conEteEatioHs when hs>
that a arove The religion. ontna.'asa out Of him
Rotner alleges that Arschawsky led the assault
on him. He says that Arschawsky strobe up TO
and planted his fist in his eye with all his
strength. He followed it up with blow in the
before he could land another thunp the n-
dignant congregation brushed him aside, anx-
ious to participate ps in the punishment. Few.
Rotner says that he fell under the blow, THAI
were Ihintu upon MN. anu lnhl De WAS hiEktu
we'll as struck. From a fight of everybody
against one the disturbance developed into -
battle royal. and everybody hegan punching
every body else. The Feast OF the Tabernscles,
tho service. and the dance all were forgotten in
the excitement. 1t all ended when the fighters
were exhausted. and went home bit confused
over what they had been fighting about. The
police did not arrest any OF the fighters because,
the synagogue being up two flights OF stairs. the
noise Of the row wasn't heard in the street at
all. Rotner was carried out by some friends.
taken home and nursed back 10 consciousness
When arraigned in Essex Market yesterday.
Arcsha wsk ad Titted being IN the general fight,
but denied having Intentionally assaulted
Rotner. Hei might have hit MIN during the
course of the disturbance, he said hut not from
any personal feeling. Ho excited like the
others, and couldn't say for certain what he had
done.
Rotner's lawyer reviled Arschawsky and all
the rest of tho congregation for the attack on
the tailor and said that it was unjustfcd. He
explained the dance episode, and said that while
Rotner's act might have offended the congreGa-
tion. it did not warrant assault OF the sort in
h!cteu on his client. AS Magistrate Cornell
Agreed with him. ArschawsGy's commitment
for trial followed.