New-York tribune., 1902-04-21
RIOTERS BESIEGE CHURCH
MAN FROM WHOM CONGREGATION
BOUGHT IT BARRICADES DOORS
AND HURLS MISSILES.

a riot called the police reserves from the Mad
ison-st station last night 10 the Synagogue
Adars Israel, at Rutgers and Monroe SIS A
crowd Of fifteen hundred persons collected there
and cheered the congregation in their attempts
to force an entrance
David Berkman. Of No 45 Eldridge-st-, is the
president of the congregation, which is COM
posed Of about hundred and twenty-five
members Last fall they opened negotiations
with Louis Meyerash. a real estate dealer al
No 90 Monroe-st. Meyerash. il is said. agreed
to sell them the building at No I'D Mon
roe-st for 81 0o0-S3.ooo cash and $4,000 on
mortgage.
In September the congregation, ii is said, pald
Meyerash $500 and deposited 5000 with Jar
1nalowsky. the banker at No. 81 Wall-st-. which
was to be paid on receipt Of title TO the prop
erty. Just after the $500 had been paid the
congregation found. it is alleged. that the build
ing extended about six inches onto another man
property, and for that reason they could not
get a clear title. Meyerash told them 10 tear
down the wall and that he would build 1t up
They tore the wall down. but Neyerash, they
say. refused TO build il. Meyerash then threat
ened, it is said. TO dspossess the congregation
unless it paid the 81. 200 in cash. Meyerash OBJ
tanned a warrant for their dispossession, and
started to put their synagogue furnishings On
the street Before he had accomplished this the
congregation got an injunction restraining him
from interfering with the congregation This
injunction is returnable to-day.
Morris Shapiro the sexton, entered the syna-
gogue last night with $500 which he had col
lected from the congregation Several Of the
people went 10 the synagogue TO pray and Sha-
piro opened the doors to admit then. AS he
did so Meyerash. with three men, it is alleged,
jumped him, knocked him down and took
Meyerash and his followers rushed into the syn
agogue and closed and bolted the doors Berk-
man ran 10 District Attorney Jerome's house
and got Mr.. Jerome to go to the synagogue
The District Attorney looked the ground over,
and said that as it was Sunday the police could
not get a warrant to enter the premises. Then
he went home
All this time the crowd was getting larger
and larger, and the people were alternately
cheering Berkman and kissing Meyerash.
Finally about ten Of the congregation burst open
the door This followed by a shower of
bricks. sticks and stones which Meyerash and
his companions il is alleged, hurled on the men
from the second story and the roof. Several
people were Knocked down and many were cut
and bruised slightly BY this time an alarm
had been sent in 10 the Madison-st. police sta
tion for the reserves As the door gave way the
crowd cheered in approval
Stimulated by these cheers the congregation
started 10 rush upstairs to the synagogue but
were met by a shower Of benches and sticks
which made a temporary barricade They soon
climbed this, and then broke in the door
of the ynagCgue. Just then the police reserves
arrived and placed all in the synagogue under
arrest.
Meyerash was arrested with Thomas Cara
gan Max Greenberg and Herman Barnet.
These men were all charged with disorderly
conduct.
The 5000 which Shapiro had is missing
The Passover season of the congregation of
Adarsh Israel promises to be further ervened
to-day, when the fight for possession of the
church viii be again taken up, both in and out
Of the Essex Market police court.