New-York tribune., 1905-08-28
SYRIANS STIRRED UP.
Anonymous Threats of Murder
after Newspaper Controversy.

Threats of murder have been sent in anony-
nous letters to several members of the Syrian
colony OF New-York a result of bitter con-
troversy which has been carried on for weeks
in the columns of two of the Syrian newspapers
Of the city. The Rev. Raphael Hawaweeney. OF
No. 320 Pacific-st., Brooklyn, who recently be-
came the Bishop of the Orthodox Greek Church
Of the Syrans in Brooklyn has been dragged
into the controversy and accused of melting a
movement for bloodshed He and his friends
declare that he has preached only peace and has
advised against violence.
A formal appeal to Police Commissioner Nc
Adoo for protection has been made by Syrian
merchants who have received threatening let
ters. and who have been arming themselves and
avoiding going about the streets alone for fear
of being murdered. In the appeal to Mr.. Nc
Adoo it is declared that Bishop Hawaweeney re-
Gently called meeting of members of his church
and asked them to defend him against attacks
in one of the Syrian newspapers, telling them
that he was TO be regarded as a grand duke, to
be defended by his people, and that, if necessary,
some of them must be ready to lay down their
lives for him. It is said in the appeal that some
of the young men Of his congregation laid their
knives on a table in the church, in accordance
with an Oriental custom and swore that they
would defend the bishop with the last drop Of
their blood
Bishop Hawaweeney said yesterday to a Tri-
pune reporter that nothing of the kind hap
pened, but that he attended meeting of his
congregation to counsel the members against
violence, telling them to pay no attention to
the attacks him. as he forgave all his enc
mics. The trouble, he said. grew out of cir
cular sent TO the six Syrian newspapers Of the
city by a newly formed society Of fifteen men,
known as the Champagne Glasses Society, and
in reality drinking club, demanding that the
editors and publishers stop publishing paid ar
ucles attacking business or social rivals. The
circular led to a clash between 'Al Hoda." a
daily Syrian paper, published by N A. Mokazel
and "Meraat-ul-Gharb," a weekly paper edited
that "Al Hoda'' referred to the bishop in certain
Of its alleged slanderous articles The bishop
was asked by friends of 'Al Hoda' to stop the
controversy, but he said it was none of his busi-
ness. n. N. Maloof, Syrian merchant, had a
talk with the bishop in an effort to patch up
peace and "Meraat-ul-G l-Gharb' published an ac-
count of the conference, which led Mr.. Maloof
to insert some signed articles in "Al Hoda,' de-
manding an explanation from the bishop.
Talks with members of the Syrian colony yes
terday disclosed the fact that the newspaper
controversy had excited them greatly and had
led to a religious fight in which Roman Catholics
and members of the Orthodox Greek Church had
become involved Mr.. Mokazel said he had been
accused of publishing book attacking the Vir-
gin Mary. A book which he thought was harm
less, written by his brother-in-law. printed
the office of Al Hoda." he said, and it created
ened in anonymous letter. His character had
been assailed by friend of Bishop Hawaweeney
in an article published in a paper believed to
be under the bishops control. he said, and the
bishop had declined to stop the attack.
Syrians in the city said yesterday that some
articles in "Al Hoda" and "Meraat-ul-Gharb"
were indecent They s6Gd they had forbidden
the women of their families to read the papers
as a result Of the pending controversy.