The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-13
WHO BURNED THE CHURCH?
IT HiDJTST BEEN MOVED ACROSS
THE ROAD IN SAFETY.
Waterman Denton Jumped Out of the sun
day school Room Door AFTER Three
shots Had Been Fired Through enc
NlndOws-As He Dld so He Got int

day school Room Door AFTER Three
shots Hal Been Fired Through 'he
NIndOws-As He Did 50 lie Got INT
The Presbyterian congregation at Elmoht,
a village Of about 600 souls. just southeast OF
tho Belmont racetrack in Nassau county,
was prosperous enough last summer TO bulld
a new church The old church, Which had
faced the Elmont road for forty years
was sold for 500 TO Tom West, tho big pro-
priet or OF the Bicycle Hotel at Valley Stream
two miles away. II was frame structure,
70 feet long Is wide and IS high, not count
ing the steepe West planned 10 move inc
church to lot which he owned across the
road and change it into a dwelling
On one side Of the old church was its
graveyard and on the other was the home
Of John Hoffman. It was necessary TO
cross one or the other TO get the building
across the road and. according to vest
Hoffman consented to let the movers use
his property. Later, says West Honnan
refused to live up 10 his verbal agreement
being piqued because Of disagreement
with the church trustees about some land
which he owned He offered to agree,
West says. for 500, which West declined
20 pay
Vest got permission from the church au-
thorities to move his purchase through
the cemetery. over the tops Of the head
stones. and hired Robert Brewer 20 do the
lob Brewer began work last Thursday
on Saturday the church in transit grazed
Hofrman's fence and knocked of three
pickets Honman's son came out Of the
house and made kick
"He said some one would have 10 pay
for the fence. said Brewer yesterday, "and
| told him it would BE- repaired Then he
said that the. church shouldn't be moved
anyway, az he didn't want it set down across
from his property
Next on the scene came Mrs, Hoffman.
who declared that Brewer was trespassing
Il wouldn't be seen on your property,
said Brewer you ought TO be ashamed
of yourself for causing all this trouble.
This village won't forget that you made us
cross the dead bodies.
After the church was out in the road,
Brewer says, Mrs. Hoffman ran aud united
some of the tackle ropes which he had
fastened TO a post in front Of her house.
At last the church was landed on property
owned by a man named Froehlich. friend
of West, on the far side of the road, and
Brower's and his men called it a week.
The insurance company which held the
risk on the church heard that II was beng
moved and sent word TO West that he must
Saturday, just as Brewer departed, Henry
Weeks went on watch and remained until
Joseph II Denton relieved him az $ j NJ
Denton is 0S years old, with white hair and
bent shoulders
Judging bv the moon says Denton,
lit was about ~ o'clock when | saw three
men approach the church. They broke the
windows with stones and fired three shots
through them. jumped out OF the Sunday
school room door. man standing there
4, ON tnItg tsstf "A .Nfl tgI
when got up stupeiied got another smash,
which cli my face open and knocked me
down
Il ran 10 George Cases barber shop
with my face bleeding and asked him TO
fix up my wounds. telling him IA fast as |
could what had happened
Case went TO the door and looked mp the
road Flames were coming from the church
windows He told his son, who was just
honing his last razor. TO get the. family re-
volver They ran toward the church
shooting into the air and yelling Fire
Henry Tones "a farmer, Joined the Cases,
and they tried 70 get some Of the movers
apparatus away from the church 1t was
too late. They aroused the pastor the
Rev August C. ESpach and he hurried
10 the new church and started 10 ring the
bell which il the village fire alarm.
Whoever fastened the bell rope hadn't
done good job. for il came down in the
ministers hand. He climbed into the
Elmont which was nuw being illumned
bv the blaze from the old church, Mr..
Espach was alarmed, for the new church
was only 100 feet away from the fire and II
the wind had been strong It probably
would have gone, too.
Neghbors aroused 10y the tell and the
light, came piling out with buckets.
The bucket brigade was at no avail
The fire had too good start, and the
yampe. after half an hours work, gave up
the job The church was destroyed and
20 was Brower'- moving machinery. The
crowd hung abSGt the blaze until morn
ing aud there wen. groups on hand all
day Yesterday lhe emher> were sull
alive last night.
The assault and the fire 50 aroused FL
mont that the dedication Of the new
church which took place YESTERDAY morn
ing. was not such great event a. n ordl-
narily would have been
The Sheriff = Office was not notified until
afternoon and then Deputy Sheriff Abram
B Furnan went 10 work on the case, get
ting statements right and left Denton
was unable to describe his a~sailant or
the other men very we'll He was nur--
ing very sore face last night IN West
hotel. which l. the headquarters Of the
4