Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-05-28
RE|CHMAN AND
CS|PO TELL Of
R|OT|NC HERE
Trial Lags and May Take All
Sensational TeS-
timony
By staff Correspondent.

NEW BRUNSWICK. May 2S-The
state this morning completed it's evil
dence against Rev. Francis Gross,
pastor of the Church of Our Lady
of Hungary, of Perth Amboy, charged
with melting the congregation of his
church to riot Today marked the
third day of the trial which is being
held before Judge Ruff V. Law
renee, of Monmouth county, and a
jury.
Louis Csipo, whose banking estab-
lishment at the corner of William
and State streets was raided by q
group consisting of members of the
congregation of Father Gross
church, was the first witness placed
on the stand by the state this morn
ing. In answer to a question by
Thomas Brown, counsel for the de-
fense, why he had purchased box
containing fifty cartridges, Csipo an
swered that it was because of his fear
for Father Gross following the
priests action in hitting Arthur
Reichmann, editor of the New Jersey
Hirado, on the head.
Upon being cross examined by
Thomas Brown, Csipo stated that a
gir.ft had told him at his banking
hotrss that crowd was coming after
hid. He declared he tried to lock
thei door to keep them out but that
they had reached. his place before he
had time to act. The witness iden-
titled a copy of the New Jersey Hira-
90 dated August 20, 1918, which he
had placed in the window of his
bank. The paper contained picture
of Father Gross. Csipo said he did
not remember any other issues.
After the mob had entered his
place Csipo testified he fired two
shots into the air to frighten them,
taking care not to aim at the people.
Upon being struck on the head by
some object thrown by one of those
In the crowd, Csipo testified to shoot
paper had appeared in his window
which contained a statement that
Father Gross was looking for girls
for his harem.
Fred N. Voorhees,, the clerk of the
Somerset County Court, was the next
witness called to the stand. He had
ehe entire court proceedings, includ-
ing the indictment, sentence and re-
trial of Louis Csipo in that court In
1912, on a charge of perjury. The
case was nolle pressed by the state.
4Csipo upon cross examination stated
that Joseph E. Stricken was his at
torney in that case.
William E. Clark, of the supreme
court office in Trenton, the next wit
ness, had the entire proceedings with
the rule for renewal of sentence hand
ed down by the Somerset County
Judge. These papers, which were not
introduced in the first trial, were all
admitted.
Helen Csipo. wife of Louis Csipo,
was the next witness. She stated that
on November l she was in her kitchen
over the banking house, when she saw
a crowd outside her husbands place,
yelling, shaking their fists and throw
ing bricks. She testified that after
throwing bricks and stones through
the windows, many of those in the
mob picked up the larger pieces OF
plate glass and hurled them through
the remaining panes. The witness said
the mob had also tried to throw at her
but the rocks did not carry. She
threw a pail of water on the crowd,
she testified.
The witness, continuing her testi-
mony, asserted that her husband
came upstairs bleeding badly. In an
swer to a question by Attorney Brown
whether or not she was a member of
Father Gross parish Mrs. Csipo said
she was not, that she was a Protes-
tant and went to the Presbyterian
church.
Attorney Thomas Brown, before
bringing on any of the witnesses Tor
the defense. moved for direction OF
acquittaI on the grounds that nothing
in the evidence had shown that Faith
er Gross had, in his church, melted
or directed any bodily harm or injury
to Csipo or destruction to any of his
property. Mr.. Brown also argued that
the evidence did not show wilful or
unlawful intent at crime. The motion
was denied by Judge Lawrence.
Prior to bringing on his witnesses
Mr.. Brown explained his version of
the case to the judge and jury. The
parishoners of Father Gross church,
= tContinued on page A.