Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-05-29
HEAR DEFENSE !.
WITNESS TELL
Of RIOT HERE
Accused Priest Tells of Events
Surrounding Riot and Shoot
ing Here
By ster Correspondent.

By Star Correspondent.
NEW BRUNSWICK, May 29-Rev.
Francis Gross, pastor of the Church
of Our Lady of Hungary, of Perth
Amboy, on trial here before Judge Ru-
lift Lawrence, of Monmouth county,
and a jury. charged with melting his
congregation to riot. took the stand in
his own defense at 11:55 o'clock this
morning. Today marks the fourth day
of the trial, the state completing it's
case against Rev. Father Gross yester-
day.
Father Gross. upon taking the
stand, told of his visit to- the printing
shop of Arthur Reichmann, in State
street, where he had words with
Reichmann, who is the editor of the
New Jersey Hirado. Father Gross
testified to Reichmann's moving as if
he were about to attack him and de-
clared he swung a sprinkler, which
he had in his hand at the time, at
Reichmann.
The priest declared he had seen pa
pers of October "a and October 80 in
the window of Louis Csipo's banking
house at William and State streets on
the day of the riot. That day, the
priest continued, he had two masses
In his church, one at o'clock in the
morning and the other at 1890
o'clock.
Z At ths second mass, Father Gross
keelared, he had read the article
mich Csipo had posted in his win
VOW attacking him (Gross). Father
Gross then addressed the congrega-
ton, saying, according to his testi-
mony: MY dear people, you know as
well as I what has been going on for
the last six months. You know the
indignities I have been exposed to.
For myself do not care so much but
flxo r liz g..
who are sick makes 1t hard on me-"
One paper, the priest continued in
his testimony, had said II had taken
my sinful skin and holy family and
moved from Woodbridge to Chrome"
another that "I was hiding behind
Rosa's skirts and another called me
O degenerate.
Father Gross told of going with
two sisters to the office of Csipo in
order to have the paper taken from
the window. Cspo, he said. prom
ised to remove it, but never did.
On the day of the riot Father
Gross testified he addressed his con-
gregation, saying in part: Il have
trusted in you for many years.
helped Csipo's business and 1 would
ask that those having business rela-
ticns, especially the women and girls,
to go to Csipo and request him to
he won't remove it, then 1 have done
all I can possibly do"
All of the above testimony came
out in the direct examination of
Gross. In the cross examination of
Gross by the state he stated he had
come to the United States en- Novem-
ber 8, 1904, going then to Chicago.
He came to Perth Amboy in Septem-
ber 1908. he said. He became ac--
h4t Potr
mann and became close friends with
them he said. He declared he did
not know when the i'll feeling between
he and the other two men first start
ed. but thought 1t was last July.
Father Gross wanted to emphasize
that he bore no i'll feeling against
either Reichmann or Csipo. he declar-
ing that he would speak friendly to
either one now II he was permitted
to do so.
The state offered for evidence a
letter written by Father Gross to the
Holland American Steamship Com
pany. for whom Csipo is an agent,
this letter said to have asked that
Csipo's agency be revoked because of
the meahods used by him. The state
by bringing out this evidence endeav-
ored to prove that Father Gross feel
ing for Csipo was not as frienlly as
he had declared. This letter was writ
ten not more than two months ago. 1t
was stated. Father Gross admitted
writing a letter but the contents were
not ascertained.
A question by the prosecutor for the
state whether Gross had been to see
the commissioner In Newark met with
strong objection on the part of Thom-
as Brown, attorney for Gross. The
priest admitted having been there. de-
claring Ii was with regard to the Csipo
matter. Upon being pressed he de-
clared he had gone to see the COM
missioner upon advice of his counsel
A copy of the paper in which was
published an article signed by Father
fContfnued on page ~ -