The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-25
WOMEN . WARN E[):
 FINED S5
Court Admonishes Women of Slovenian Church That They Must Settle Their Differences Within the Church and Peacefully.
Testimony Discloses Inefacf- ency of Police Telephone Service Which Might Have Prevented Danger
 ous Outbreak at Rectory.

Thirteen women rioters held for ana attack on the parish house of the Chruch of St. Cyril and MetIodi11s i'm Church street, yesterday nporning,after night spent in the police cells, were fined $b and costs in the city court today with a repriInand.
 These church matters must not be so introduced to public notice as to cause violence upon church property or other sacrilege under Likelihood of severe penalties, according to Judge Bartlett, who refused today to permit any but evidence of a direct breach of the peace to be introduced Among the features of the days hearing was the teEtimony Of Rev. Gaspard Panik, temporary rector of the local church, that salt was used by the women with which to blind him in the parish house.
 That the police station could not bG reached by telephone when sought by Father Panik and that as a result of the delay in getting word of the riot to the police mot one woman was ar rested at the scene Of the riotl was learned by the court today.
 The defense set up was that a com mittee of 20 persons had visited the parish house with the intention of asking the pastor to resign. That they may have been prepared for a. not made clear in the evidence. The original committee was overwhelmed by the arrival of partisans who pro ceeded to wreck the household accord ing to the stories of prisoners to- day.
 Policeman McGuire testified that only four prisoners had been arrested by 1lim and that the rest had voIun- tarily surrendered themselves. Lieut. O'Leary, in command of the second precinct station testified that others had surrendered but were not locked up.
 The case, which filled the court room to overhowtng with a motley crowd of church members, mothers with babes in their arms, and men and women nving-@in the vicinity of the church, was not called until 12:15.
 Rev. Gaspard Panik was the first witness. He testified that he was in the house at the time with Annie Panik, his sister. a brother-in-Iaws and another woman.
 He saw through a window the str- rival of the delegation, each bearing a bundle in her arms. They were not babies he asserted. They were shout ing Let's go in. Let's drive him out, If he don't go we will kill him."
 He rushed for the telephone and called for the police. He could not get a, wire to the police. The crowd
  1eyed with them but they became threatening and he locked the door way and also an inside door, again running to the telephone. Here he called insistently to the telephone ezz- change operator Police! sPoIiceT Po- lice!'' While he was engaged in this call someone threw salt into his eyes, binding him. The women had run upstairs and had locked themselves into an upper room. The crowd cal1- ed him downstairs, and one laid vio- lent hands on his clothes, handing him a hat and coat and telling him that he was not wanted in Bridgeport
 He tried to get police whistle from a. room, the whistle having been given to him by the police in prepar- t alton of such. an attack. He could not find 1t. The women left of their own accord after doing slight damage to the interior of the house, throwing eggs about the place and breaking four windows, and two doors.
 Lieut.. O'Eeary told of the first In- timation of the trouble being Feceiv- ed from a. woman on the street. When the police arrived all was quiet The arrests had been made upon in formation furnished by the crowd outside. Four were detained when the others voluntarily surrendered.
 Attorney Abe GedH1dig, defending the prisoners, placed the English speaking women on the stand. They stated that they had gone to the par ish house intending no violence, that they had told the priest they wanted a good Catholic and not one who preached on all subjects and that they were not there to kill him but to impress that his presence was not desired in Bridgeport Others had joined the peaceful delegation by an assault upon the rear of the house which had spoiled the parade.
 Tv,l Ro 1af% hof was so serious from the destruction of church property that if pressed, tho case would have to go to the high court. He accepted the circumstances as well meant but. warned the prison- CTS that any future demonstration would be severely dealt with.
 Fines of $5 and costs were imposed on all irrespective of the charges pre- ferred. All paid their fines.