The sun., 1903-12-09
VICTORY FOR PASTOR RATHKE
INGLESIDE CHIRCH HEARS ITS
MEMBERS COMPLAINTS.
Some Came TOO Late TO Get IN AMI STOOD
sIi,crins Between cups OF Hot Choco-
LATE, waiting for The Nerdict-The
. knOescIs Get In Their tbidaNts.

down to which the members oI tHe 'o'iS'e
cation of St Johns German Lutheran
Church of Ingleside. a suburb OF Flushi ng
hive lo, ked forward for 40 long was
played last evening 1t was show down
OF the cha rges made by four trustees OF the
church against Pastor John j, Rathke,
and the hazard Of the game was whether
Pastor Ralhka should he frozen cat of his
lob or not. The Rev. DR. Petersen Of
Middle Village, president Of the German
Lutheran Conference to which st, Johns
Church lelcngs, presided at the meeting
II has already been bruited abroad that
Pastor Rathke is charged by four trustees
of his church with being u Nihilist or an
Anarchist, or Socialist, or some other
violent ist because on the first anniversary
of the death of President Mckinley, he
according to affidav.ts made by certain
members of the church, did say that he was
glad President Mckinley had been shot
and he hoped President Roosevelt would
meet the same fate.
Tha, is the most serious high crime and
misdemeanor laid at Pastor Rathke's door
but he is also charged wit h lack of proper
sympat he,ic interest in the hopes and
aspirations of certain members of his flock;
persons from certain and particular parts s
Of Germany do not make good American
citizens
The man with the longest knife out for
Pastor Rathke ia Herr Ludwig knoesel,
who SAYS he IL fashionable tailor, and who
certainly keeps a tailor shop in Amity
street, Flushing. Herr Knoesel is trust go
of the church. Tho other chargers are:
Trust ee; August Schmidt, fashionable
butcher; Trustee Matthew Mekske,
fashionable janitor, and Trustee kra'ise,
who is handy man at almost anything.
They do say that Trustee krause came to
the support of Herr Trustee Knoesel not
because he loved Pastor Rathke less. but
because he hoped that certain matters
of the heart might be SO adjusted as to
enable him to love Herr Trustee Knoesei
more.
The meeting was to be held at o'cl ok,
but Paste" Rathke had funeral and 40
the congregation was about an hour and
half late getting down to business. As
soon AS the meeting had been called TO
order the sexton was instructed to lock all
the doors and windows in the church and
see that the scuttle of the roof was boted
enough not to be pay member OF ST. Johns
Church could get in,
The result OF his order was that about a
dozen members Of the congregation who
arrived even later than the meeting was
called TO order. couldn't get in, and they
endured the process of slowly freezing to
death in the chnrchyard in order that they
might hear the result of the meeting.
Mrs. RathIte. the pastors attractive
looking voting wife. and several OF the
pastors witnesses who wcrH ALSO late,
failed 70 get int o the church, but they were
telSe n In by Mr.. and Mrs. Schwartz. who
live next door to the meeting house. From
there Mrs. Rathke sent word that when
she and the other witnesses were needed
they might be se,t for.
Mr.. Schwartz served in hospital corps
during the Spanish American war, ana
his wife is a woman of broad syrnpathies,
Thev noticed the bret who had been
fromn out by the janitor and they took
immediate steps to care for them. From
time to time during the evening and until
after midnight AIr. aud Mrs. Schwartz
served not chocolate to the brethren VINO
couldn't even get in to vote.
After some inforlnaites somebody moved
that the minutes oil the church which gave
an account Of church picnic, and in which
70 ebody had been reported as saving
hat he had thought somebody else hadn't
been a. careful with the money raised Tor
/ hat pic mic az he might have been, be eS-
cluded az evidence either for or against
Pastor Rathko. TIL motion was carried,
and then humane member OF the congre-
rat ion arc Z and in good strong German
aid; -, ~. rr.o. ,,etro
politan press are without our doors. The
night is cold, and there is halo around
the moon. None of them can understand
our language. Therefore, l move that
the hospitality Of this congregation he ex,
tended to them and that they be invited
to come in and sit down.
Dr.. Petersen, after asking II there were
any remarks on the motion. put II, and
the reporters lost by vote OF 10 TO TO-
They were saved from pneumonia by the
hot chocolate next door.
Now said DR.. Petersen, we will pro-
ceed to business 1a What is the evidence
The affidavit of Miss Lena Knoesel, Herr
Knoesel's plump and pretty, eighteen.
read in both English and German.
The young lady, to use her father s ss ex;
strong to the effect that it was in her father 8
home on the first anniversary OF the death
OF President Mckinley and in her presence
and that OF her father and mother that
Psstpr Rathke made his nihilistic remark
about Mckinley and Roosevelt.
The supporting affidavits OF II err and
Frau Knoesel, and that of Trustee Mehske
were read. DIR. Petersen was not low to
notice that there was a marked dis tlnct on
between the affiadvts of Trustee Meh ske
and those Of the Knoesel family.
: Mehske swoIe that while Pastor Rathke
had said he was glad Mckinley had been
Gho,, he did not say that he hoped Roose--
welt would meet the same fate. Instead
MelIske swore that Pastor Rathke had said
that Il should not be surprised il Roose
welt met with he same fate"
- FFaulen Knoesel was the first witness
against tho pastor. She was asked if she
was sure of the date on which the remark
was made. She WAS dead sure.
well. how did you come to speak about
the death of President Mckinley, anyway"
asked DR., Petersen.
1T was most natural that should speak
of it," said Miss knoesel, with hauteur
said 10 be peculiar TO the young women Of
Apity street, Flushing. ut was the an
rdversary of the terrible occurrence and
everybody was talking about it, and Pastor
Rathke said just what l said he said and
just at the time said he said it, and that's
all there IL to 1t.
Frau Elsie knoesel was the next witness,
and she testi6ed that all she could testify
20 u.oo u-hat ha hnI al toot i6al -