New Britain herald., 1915-12-20
ARMENIAN CHURCH
 MEN IN NEAR RIOT
Two Factions at St. Marks Fight
 at Election
POLICE HAVE TO INTERFERE

Ballot Boxes and Defeating Their
 Candidate for Church Committee
 No Arrests Made.
 Trouble which has been brewing for long time within the ranks Of the Armenian membership of St. Marks Episcopal church came to head last night at a meeting held in Commercial hall for the purpose of electing @ church committee. The trouble was most violent and was one of the worst mixups of its kind that has ever occurred here. The two factions of Armenians, absoluetely op- posed to each other, almost came. to blows and for a time it semed that there would surely be bad riot. It was finally necessary for the police to clear the hall and the services or Lawyer Frederick B. Hungerford were secured by one faction in hopes Of making a legal adjustment of the difficulties.
 The two factions of the Armenians are headed by Manu Krikorian and Harry Kavorkian respectively. kavor- kian is president of the old church committee and the first intimatlon that the police had of any trouble was when Krikorian came to the pohcc station at S:25 o'clock last evening, and informed Captain Grace that ne was to be elected but that an oppos- ing faction were going to interfere. He wanted a policeman at the meet ing. The meeting was essentially for the purpose of choosing new presi- dent and the five members of the com- oJ, nf ian church affairs.
 Charge Stuffing Of Ballots.
 It was the claim of the Krikorian faction that all members who were entitled to vote should have been en- orlled last Friday when the polls were open from until 9:30 D. m. At that time 1OS enrolled. It is claimed, however, that the Kavorkian faction did not abide by this rule but added ] thirty-one names to the voting list after the polls closed. This brought the membership entitled to a vote mp Ito 139. -I
 It is Krikorian's contention that of l the original 10S, fifty-five had been ! pledged to vote for him, but the thir- ty-one on-elegibles defeated him The old church committee, headed by Kavorkian, was composed of Georgia Hagapian, Katchader Borja- dian, Peter Symornian and Asadoor Hargopian. The insurgeant con- mittee was composed of George Ks- vorkian Ca brother of the president ot the regular committee Actis Spes- arian, David Bagderbarian, Georga Hagapian (who plays it safe by hay ing his name on both slates) and Kavork Cholakin.
 Archbishop Was There. The meeting last night was sched- uled to be an important affair. The old committee had as it's guest the archbishop of the mother church at Worcester, Mass, Rev. Mushill Hsbiscobon, who was to have had charge of the election. In voicing their complaint to the police the regulars" loudly proclaimed that their opponents were socialists and later added the accusation that they were all liars and thieves" On thc other hand the insurgents contend ed that the archibishop's presence here was not authorized and that he was simply a trouble maker anyway and had made trouble in other cities where he had visited. President Ka- vorkian and the archbishop both tried to hold forth at the meeting, over ruling all contentious of the 'insur- gents" Anticipating his own defeat and subsequent trouble, Krikorian visited the police station and asked for help. Although Captain Grace and Officer Hellberg visited the hall they found things quiet and went away. A few minutes later a riot call came in and Officers Hellberg, Richardson and Mccarthy and Captain Grace and Sergeant Kelly rushed to the scene.
 It was a wild sight that greeted their eyes, Everything was in dis order. Arms were being swung through the air. Shouts were loud and threatening and it is probable that had not the police cleared out the more turbulent ones instantly there would have been a riot with few broken heads as a result.
 Lawyer Hungerford Arrives. Peace being restored, President Kavorkian proceeded to take charge of the meeting again. He started to call the roll but in marched Insur- gent Manu Krikorian, accompanied by Lawyer F. B. Hungerford.
 Manu declared he would have an injunction issued forbidding the meet ing. Immediately bedlam broke loose again. Regardless of the police the Y, two factions broke into loud and threatening tirades against each other. Finally Judge Hungerford took the chair and asked if it was correct that only 10S were entitled to vote. Presi- dent Kavorkian informed him it was none of his business. He said the church committee had full charge of that matter and what it said went. 1 The committee had the sole right to say who could and could not vote, the president shouted Judpa I,spoerford