The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-11-07
CHURCHMEN PROTEST
AGAINST KIEFF TRIAL
35 Prominent American Clergy.
men and Others Sign
Petition to Car.
BRYAN WON'T SEND IT
lie Rejects Plea. Which Is Then
Turned Over to Russian
Embassy.

WAsHiNGToN. Nov. e--A remarkable
petition addressed to the car of all the
Russias was presented to the State De
partment to-day. II was signed by abou,
thirty-fve Of the leading clergymen and
officials Of Christian denominations in tho
United States and it protested agains, the
ritual murder" trial of Mendcl Bells.
the Jew. at kien
This extraordinarv document, siened by
such men as Cardinal FARLEY. Bishop
Greer Of the Episcopal Church. the Rev.
Dr. william T. Manning rector Of Trinity
Church: Pishop Scarborough Of New Jer-
sey and many other officials Of Christian
denominations. prays the car to avert Il
grave peril and forcstall the possibility
OF an imposition OF injustice on the entire
Jewish people The petitioners .ask the
car 10 confirm the ukasc of his ancestor
Alexander l.. who sought to destroy for
all time the lmrutation that the Jews re-
qulre Christian blood for ritual purposes
This petition was presented 10 the State
Department to-day with a request that It
he transmitted to the car Secretary
Bryan and other officials of the Depart
ment considered the matter for some time
but finally decided tha; tn. Department
could not act in this manner. The repre-
sentative OF the petitioners was Informed
that the Russian Government had taken
the stand that Il would not accept dp-u-
ments of this character.
The petition then was returned hv tho
State Department. but later was sent
by the petitioners to tho Russisr EN-
bassy. What disposition the Russian
| Ambassador will make of the document
was not disclosed tonight. hut it is
doubtful il he VIII transmit it to the
| Car
WashinRtOs GrcmtIy Interested.
! The news that Russia would decline
To- receive petitions and resolutions in
regard 10 IN. ritual murder trial was re-
ceived here to-n,gnt win great interest
No explanation w5ss made by the state
Department as to Russia's attitude.
! whether representations had been made
| in regard to this case alone. or whether
the State Department officials had rem
dercd their decision on general ptecc-
| dent.
1t was recalled ,hat the Russian COS.
|
Government during President Rooseyc.ts
| Administration that /; would not r.-
c-iNe protest from American citizens
| in regard to IN" kiShuen rnasSacr,s
President Roosevelt clicum,eut,d these
objections to che great dispieasure of
III" Russian officials 10y having the
American Ambassador read the protest
10 them in the form OF an inquiry rs to
whether / Inr.lD.,t bu
come under the ban, Ther" Is little like
lihood that any sdch heroic course VIII
be adopted by Secretary Bryan
The news Of the attitude OF the Rus
sian Government is all the more impor-
tant because the resolutions Of protest
/ are now pending in Congress and II these
ar" adopted, as seems CcrUiu the refusal
of Russia To accept them viii assume a
! much MOI. embarrassing aspect for th.
! Wilson Administration
The DriIi. Petition.
The petition reads
"7o HIS IHpcyidl UdJcStp Nioholos II .
the C;or Of An TIC RHssds
SIRE: As the Representatives OF various
/ Christian denominations OF the United
! states of America, Irrespective of creed
We unite in the name of our sacred faith
/ in an appeal to YOU that the charge Of
ritual murder against the jew. Mcndel
BELLS. now on trial at kien be with
drawn. because Of the untold evils to
the cause Of humanity which may fol-
low from its further prosecution.
I'VE are convinced that the blood accu.
sation against the Jews which has been
made sporadically is as unfounded as was
the same accusation which, az history
shows. was frequently directed against
the early Christians 1t has been sub
jected to the most careful investigation
for centuries and no evidence warrant
Ing the slightest credence has ever been
discovered and it has been rejected as
unworthy of serious consideration both
by church and by state. Bulls were is
sued by four Popes--Innocent ", Paul
Ill. Gregory X. and Clement NV
which formally declared this superstition
to be baseless and wicked inventio
The genunencss of these pronounce cements
has been recently officially certified by
Cardinal Merry del Val, the secretary of
the Holy See.
MANY soveregns have in the past for
hidden the attribution of religious signif-
canoe to such accusations, among them
the German Emperors Frederick IL
tls3oD huuoIpH VI iIHpSbuTH, tl-iJ) .
Frederick Ill, G470), and Charles v,
/ I54D the Bohemian King Ottocar H.
I25D the Polish Kings Boleslaw V.
u26D Casimir H. U33D; Casimir
NV. I45D. and Stephen Bathori. u576.
Emperor Alexander J. of Russia is
sued a ukase on March is, 1877. by which
he prohibited the prosecution of So
called ritual murder cases. for the pro-
claimed purpose of ending the supersti-
tion that the Jews employed Christian
blood for ritual purposes. This ukasc
was confirmed by Emperor Nicholas ].
on January l3, 1885.
"AccusatiOn IL unfoundcd."
"Prince obolensky. the former head OF
the Holy Synod of the Russian Empire
has recently declared 'On the strength OF
all historical and literary material con.
corning ritual murders l can say that thi.
accusation against the Jews IL Just as II
founded rs were the accusations of thu