The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-08
RIOT IN A CHURCH
Disgraceful Squabble Be-
tween ChoriSters in
St. Matthew's P.
E. Church.
FOUGHT In TIE yEsTRY ROOM
DR.. Holcombe Couldn't Proceed
With the Service Because
of the Row.

A disgraceful and unfortunate conflict
took place in ST. Matthew'S Episcopal
Church last night. The particulars
-eaked out this morning when William
Bourne. vestryman, notified the police
'of the Gregory street station of the oc-
',urrence 1t is probable that for some
Time to come policemen in citizens dress
may attend the church services and see
hat order is preserved.
+ Inc readers of 1.-The News will doubt
less remember that the church has been
N state of turmoil for more than a wear
~ reason OF the inability of Pastor
lnIboop latbS,pl an9 mock to get along well to-
llfteen months ago and were precipita3ed
p because the pastor broadly intimated that
7 Il. was hardly proper for young men to
me church during services, The young
men thought otherwise, and as a conse-
Qusnce trouble followed
The Rev. Mr.. Throop put on the scrav,s
isno IN snort order the congregation was
'llylded into two factions DisgracefuI
proceedings followed in rapid succession.
growing In volume until the Rt. Rev.
6ishop Starkey, realizing that peace
couid not be restored between pastor and
llocK, nnally deposed Mr.. Throop. The
femova! became operative yesterday
nj Last night the young men whom Mr..
ihroop mad disciplined for smoking in
lhe church, were very much in evidence
20 20 were all the anti-Throop members.
ihey We're Jubilant to q degree and cele-
Drated what they considered their VIC
Tory by taunting those who remained
lalthful to the pastor. Personalities were
freely lndulged in.
1T appears, under Mr.. Throop's minis
Try, several choir singers from Grace
1plscopai church were In the habit OF
going to St. Matthew'S and Reinforcing,
Inc choir, which by reason of the dis
Ia nh TrO1 hr,A -
" reduced Last night the anti-Throop
choristers decided to pay their RESPECTS
to the Grace Church singers
They began first by ridiculing the Grace
as to declare that they were not wanted in
st. Matthews, and that 1T was proposed
70, 70 exclude @ them from the choir. The
iIses deeared chqfs fSat singers PggeT objected and
into the choir whether the
sinti-Throop faction liked It or not. a
war OF words followed The argument
Waxed hot. All this occurred In the ves-
try room.
Worshippers who had gathered in the
church were puzzled by the unseemly
rooms. The veperable Rev Dr. .Holeombe
or New York, who had been engaged to
occupy the pulpit temporarily, was on
noise which the choristers were making
He made no effort, however, to INQUIRE
as 10 the commotion until the talking be-
Of feet.
Looking. out into the vestry room he
was wa, shocked to see the choir singers,
Of war over the choir garments. It ap-
pears that when the Grace Church SIN
gers declined to retire the anti-Throop
Inents; They were followed by the Grace
l;hurch people, and in short order bat
tie royal was In progress.
Dr- Holcomb was shocked when he
looked out upon the struggling singers.
William Boyce was the Spokesman for
the ant1-Throopers and he refused to give
ed by DR.. Holcombe. "A half dozen ladies'
We're mortified because DR.. Holcombe had
witnessed the unseemly struggle. Young
9:lris declared that they would withdraw
II the men and boys did not stop fight
Ing. The Rev. Mr.. Holcombe was so
elumbfounded that he withdrew from the
scene.
In the meantime worshfppers were cran-
ing their necks endeavoring to ascertain
the cause of the trouble in the vestry
Ioom A truce was declared for a mo-
rnent and Choirmaster Fisher was ap-
pealed to to decide which faction should
go in the choir. He refused to interfere
s-nd suggested that the wrangling stop
and that an agreement be arrived at be-
fore next Sunday. He concluded by ad-
vising the factions to form in line for the
professional. Then there was another
scramble in which the anti-Throop sing
ers s endeavored. 1t is alleged. to eject
|
latter resisted and a most outrageous
scene was witnessed.
The lighting was finally stopped by
6rganist George Hoskins PLAYING the
professional hymn and throwing open
the vestry room door, exposing the fight
Ing singers to the astonished and shock
ed congregation.
Both factions remained In the choir
stalls, but 1t was easy to see that some-
thing unusual had happened
AS consequence of the trouble, Or
ganist Hoskins has resigned, and so have
number of Sunday-school teachers, who
were on Pastor Throop's side in the
trouble.
Yesterday there were scarcely enough
teachers to take charge of the classes.
Eeastor Holcombe will not, it Is believed
by many of the parishioners, care to re-
main in charge of the church.
1t is expected that last nights pro-
ceedings will disrupt the choir and prob
ably still greater endanger the future Of
the church.
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