The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-30
FOR SELLING "MASSATOLO."
TRIAL or 4 HEBREW BOOB TENDER
ar CoMSToCK'S INSTANCE.

TIE noek. which 1a Frtnted IN Hebrew, anfa
to laputs unnoraiity to Soseph and to us
nes,Esed - Thrs- Dtsrepute co the savtsup
asa Hns usthsr-cs-stsekS TrunsIatisu-
The tr1al Of Meyer Chinsky. . bookseller, Of
10 Ludlow street, who was re Gently arrested
by Anthony Comstock for selling a book printed
in Hebrew entitled "Massa Tolo," or. according
to Comstock. The Story Of the Crucihed One"
began yesterday in the Court OF Special Sea-
sions. It Is commended by counsel fop the de-
PENDANT, Lawyer Elias Rosenthal, that the title
OF the book IL "Nassa Solo"-"the story OF the
hanged one" According to Mr.. Comstock's
experts the book Is hlled with obscenity and
tells the story OF tho life Of Jesus Christ in .
profane manner.
Mr.. Comstock said In court that The book re-
Vtlsd Christ, imputed immortality to Joseph
and was designed to bring the name Of the
Saviour and his mother into disrepute. He
added that the book declared that Joseph was
hanged for . breach Of the Hebraic laws.
Lawyer Rosenthal declared that the book
WAS written $50 years before the birth of Christ
and that It was founded on the Talmud. He
further said that the work was not immoral,
and that the Hebrew Missionary Union, an or
ganization formed for the purpoCe Of convert
ing Hebrews to the Christian faith, was at the
bottom Of the prosecution and had induced
Comstock to make the arrest.
Mr.. Comstock did not deny this statement,
but repeated that his experts had found that
the book was hlled with obscene language and
was q work that should DO suppressed. To
back up this he called . young man who has
been doing missionary work among the Jews
70 take the witness stand. The young man
said his name was MAI Herman Levy. Mr..
Comstock handed the witness a copy Of the
book and asked him to read . certain part of 10
and then translate 1t for the benefit OF the court
Knit IAUU dh Nv 49, aaNA FhaF fhA hNNE
vas called %Massa Tolo.!' which in English
Meant The Story OF the Crucined one He then
which. as ne read them, are unaVotabie.
Lawyer Rosenthal declared that Witness Levy
saSes quoted from the book. and that be Iaoted
only parts Of sentences, leaving out long para
gCrapns that you'd convey different meanings
Witness Levy's translatious were too broad, and
Of a too sweeping character.
solomon Rosenthal- an expert for the defence,
was then called to the witness stand and asked
to translate the same parts Of the ork that had
S Dsss fgSsssa q e MF; dO@I'e ssa, g. fa9e ssa.e %.s,
quoted had an entirely different meaning from
that Inferred by the translation given by the
with the work entitled -Massa Solo" The Lad.
Of the crucided one. while Massa Toio meant
,hI story Of the banged one. He e1p!Sinst
word. Solo" and that the hero ct -Masss
Tolo' was known as "Tishu." who was hanged
by his countrymen for having abandoned their
faith There were six reformers among the an
eient Hebrews, the witness explained, each OF
whom bore the name "Yishu," which. he said;
WAS the Hebrew for Jesus. These .reformers all
met death, either by hanging. burning. or cruel
tItop- The, "Yishn" mentioned in the book
sold by Bookseller Chtnsky did not refer 10 the
Jesus OF the Christians. and was noe intended to
be derogatory 20 Christ.
ASthe Justices had been entertained with two
versions Of the translation Of the book. they
we're unable TO determine whether or not &c came
within the category of obscene literature. Con
seduently they adjourned the trial until Oct. 81.
In the mean time MIR. Comstock will have the
book translated by other experts, a. will also
counsel for the prisoner.