The New York herald., 1921-10-03
PRIESTS CRITIC dies
AT RIOT IN CHURCH
AS HE NEARS ALTAR
Son Of Dead Man Says He
Saw Pastor Rush at Father
With Candlestick Up
raised in Hand.
TWO IN HOT DISPUTE
Police Quiz Rev. Vafiadakis
After Nicholas Varzakaos
Dies Mysteriously in
Greek Edifice.
CONGREGATION IN FIGHT
Seven Men and Boys Taken to
Station House by Police
Swami Will Investi-
gate To-day.
CONGREGATION IN FIGHT

Nicholas Varzakaos. 40 years old,
prosperous fig merchant and chairman
of the Board of Trustees of the Greek
Orthodox Church of st. Nicholas, f55
Cedar street, died in the church yes
terday under circumstances that will
be investigated to-day by the District
Attorneys Office. He fell to the floor
dead, witnesses said, while trying to
rebut claim OF church insolvency
made by the Rev. Kerrilo Vafadakis,
the pastor. The police reported he ap-
parently had been hit on the head with
some blunt instrument" although
there was no cut or bruise and George
| Varzakaos, Is, the merchants son.
swore he saw the priest. candlestick
in hand, rushing toward his father.
Benedict .. Dineen, Assistant Dis
trict Attorney, spent the afternoon
trying to ascertain what actually had
I happened in the church after Mr.. Var
zakaos leaped to his feet to answer
/ the Rev. Vafiadakis. Eight men and
| boys, among whom was the priest,
were taken to the Old Slip station to
be questioned, and they told discon-
nected stories through an interpreter
in which figured the welding OF the
candlestick, an attempt to choke Mr..
varzakaos and free-for-all argument
4 among the congregation OF $50 IN
which hot words, IL not actually blows.
were exchanged. Mr. Dineen finally
gave UP in despair and served sub
prnas on the priest and Xanophen
Ries1kos. the sexton. to appear this
morning in the Criminal Court Build
ing. An autopsy will be performed on
the body of Mr.. yarzakaos to estab-
lish the cause OF death.
Church Was Crowded.
AS best the detectives and Mr.. Dineen
could find out, the little white stone
| church in Cedar street was crowded to
the doors when the trouble started. The
Rev. Vafladakis, who is so years old
short and stocky. and has a stuhby gray
beard, had just completed reading the
Bible. He waved his hands TO the con-
/ Sregation not to leave. saying he had
| few more words for them. 1t was then.
the witnesses said, that the priest an
nounced finances were in such shape
that the church, which has been in ex-
istence four years. would have TO close
it's doors to-day. There also was a re-
mark about the board of trustees. IL was
stated. which was to the effect that the
condition OF insolvency was due largely
to the board.
Mr. Varzakaos, who had been seated
half way down in the church with his
wife, Mary. walked to the choir box
lust one side of tho altar. When the
priest had finished talking he an
nounced he had few words to say.
But 7 don't want you to talk" the Rev
vafadakis was quoted as having said.
The merchant did not agree with tho
priests point OF view, and began:
Ladies and Gentlemen
That was as far as he ever got. the
witnesses said. for the next minute he
was on the floor. dead. Witnesses said
tho priest and the sexton were standing
but n few feet from Mr.. varzakaos
when he fell and they all agreed to hav-
ing seen the Rev. vaiadakis jump down
the three steps leading TO the altar when
the board chairman began to talk.
Not knowing Mr.. varzasaos was dead.
the congregation divided itself into two
bodies, one demanding he be allowed to
/ talk and the other disclaiming his right
\ TO do so. OF course all of this was In
| Greek. In moment the church was In
a turmoil. The sexton had been dis
tributing candles when Mr.. varzakaos
began to speak and these were thrown
/ about in the argument. The bedlam OF
| noise and shrielxs OF men and women
milling about In the narrow pews seepcd
| out into the street. A policeman ap-
pea red. then another. and third. Then
! n call for the reserves was turned in.
Thought he Had Tainted.
Meanwhile the trustees gathered
around the body OF Mr.. Varzasaos. and.
\ thinking he had tainted. carried him to
| the street. The churchmen were maxi
/ ing efforts 10 revive him when the re-
serves appeared. along with an anbu-
lance from Broad Street Hospital. as the
| first policemen to arrive ON the scene
/ felt certain there would be work for
! half dozen physicians when the argu-
| ing Greeks finally were discntangled. Or.
Gainey said Mr.. varzakoas was dead.
The church was cieared In about five
minutes. the congregation being driven
I east and west IN teuar street toWaIu
/ Washington and West streets. Theirs
were cries in broken English OF "He hit
him with tho candlestick." bl. all In
ouiries as TO who the 'he" was ELECTED
4 only shrug of the shoulders. Tho
policemen finally singled out seven men
snd boys VINO seemed TO know most
about what had happened and bundled
them into patrol wagon. The priest
also was requested to make the trip TO
\ the station house.
II Was sitting In the choir box when
my father left his seat and walked to-
ward the front OF tho church." George
varzakaos told Mr.. Dineen. "Hc walked