The evening world., 1904-04-15
TRUSTEES ATTACK
I. CHURCH SAFE
Led by Newly Elected Superin-
tendent, Office, $ of Moravian
Church Use Cold Chisels and
Hammers Without Success.

The trustees OF the old Moravian
Church, at New Dorp, Staten Island,
IRE again fighting among themselves.
Just how 1t will end mono OF the mem
bers cares to say. Since Wednesday
night the trustees. led by Allen Hope,
the newly elected superintendent Of the
nhurch and cemetery. have been trying
to force open the big safe. which con-
tains the valuable papers OF the church
corporation. They have used cold
chisels and hammers without success.
n now threaten to blow the door of
with dynamite.
This latest trouble started over the
election of young Mr.. Hope on April /.
His predecessor is Nathaniel j. Ostran-
der, who has been superintendent for
five years. He expected to be reelected,
but his name was not even proposed at
the meeting of the trustees. Instead
they chose Mr.. Hope. who is the son OF
the late John Hope. former superintend-
ent OF old Commodore Vanderbilt's es-
tate at New porp.
Refuses to ReIinquish Safe Keys.
Last Wednesday George Cole, the
treasurer OF the church, called on Mr..
Ostrander n presented him a note
which asked for the keys of the safe.
This safe contains papers of the church
valued at Sis, 900. for which the trustees
said they would hold Mr.. Ostrdnder re-
sponsible. Because OF this he refused
to give Treasurer Cole the keys unless
he would bring him a written resolution
from the Board Of Trustees stating that
they had duly elected Allen Hope as
superintendent and also hat the re-
sponsibility for the papers had passed to
him.
The trustees refused to do this, and
on wednesday night went TO the office
" the church and began their attempts
10 open the safe. Mr.. Ostrander lives
near by and heard them. and he
rhuckled to himself as he saw them
depart late at night without success.
Supt. Hope, Treasurer Cole and other
trustees returned to their ask last
night. n again left without accom-
plishing their purpose. Mr.. Ostrander
laughed again. They again went to
the church once to-day and attacked
the safe with renewed visor. Again
they failed to open 1t.
" VIII open this safe II I have 10
blow 1t ND with dynamite" said supt.
Hope.
THAT we will." answered Treasurer
Cole. perspirlng.
MT. Ostrander still Laughs.
Then they left with the vowed inten-
ton Of returning tonight armed with
enough dynamite to blow UP the whole
OF Staten Island IL necessary. MT. os-
trander Is still laughing.
The Moravian Church was established
at New Dorp in 17ts. II always has
been closely associated with the Van
derbilt family and many of the former
generations are buried there. Tho
church owns sixty acres OF land on
which stands the church building and
the cemetery. 1t is Incorporated and
the Va~nderbilts are interested In the
corporation.
The fight two years g was over the
election OF officers. At hat time the
parent church objected to the officers
chosen by the two chapels which had
been established OF Giffords and Four
Corners. The excitement reached such
n heated stage that the police HAD to
be called upon to auell the disturbance.
Former Supt. Ostrander says tho laity
arc with him In the present trouble.
He insists that he will not surrender
the keys until he is formally notified
that his successor has been elected.