The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-06-05
SAYS MINISTER
SECURED LIQUOR
Church Member Answers
Charges Made by Rev.
Joseph Nurkewicz.
ENTITLED TO CHURCH
New Affidavit Alleges New
Congregation Is Entitled to
Church Property.

Charges made by the Reverend Jo-
seph Nurkiewicz, former pastor of the
st. 5sMary's Immaculate Conception
church, at the corner of Grand avenue
and Congress streets, that he had been
driven from the church by threats
made by members of the congregation
because he refused to allow the base
ment of the church to be used for the
manufacture and sale of moonshine
liquor, became boomerang this morn
ing when an affidavit was filed by
Casimir Dubaniewicz, vice-president
OF the church and one of the men
named as a defendant in the minis
ter's action, in which the minister was
declared to have brought Intoxicating
liquor into the church.
This affidavit made by Dubanewicz
for all of the defendants declares that
''the only Intoxicating liquor had in
or about the said church premises was
liquor procured by the said Reverend
Joseph Nurkewicz and in manner
pronounced by him to be legal"
The affidavit has been filed as an
answer to the injunction suit brought
by the Reverend Nurkiewicz to regain
his pulpit and has been filed as a
part of the records of the case.
Dispute. Right to Property.
The affidavit also disputes the claim
made by the Reverend Joseph Nurkie-
wicz, together with certain members
Of the congregation and the Right
Reverend Carmel H. Carfora, arch
bishop of the North American Old
Catholic Diocese, to the property for
merly occupied by the ST. Mary's con-
gregation. The church, according to
the documents filed, was at first a
part of that diocese; since the trou-
bles with the former pastor, Reverend
Nurkiewicz, new church organiza-
ton has been formed, known as the
National Polish church. Some of the
members of the church have formed d
the new organization while others
have remained with the old unit.
The affidavit claims that the agree
ment mentioned in the original action
was entered into before the congre-
CATION had secured the church prop
erty and that no bona fde transfer
ence of the property ever took place.
Never Broke Into Church.
Regarding the claim made by the
Reverend Nurkiewicz that the defend
ants broke into the church and are
using it to the exclusion of some mem
bers of the former congregation, the
affidavit alleges:
S'That on the last Sunday in March,
1924, Reverend Joseph Nurkiewicz an
nounced his resignation as priest of
said parish and thereafter locked the
doors of the church and deprived the
officer of the corporation above named
admission to the church building upon
the property of the defendant corpor-
atom. that without threats or violence
or disturbance and in the presence of
police officers of the city of Kenosha,
the officers of the said corporation
caused the doors of said church to be
opened by locksmith by fitting keys
into the doors in the presence of an
other priest and have since held meet
ings in the church; that none of the
plaintiffs have been denied admission
to the church or to religious meet
ings there; that all of the members
of said church organization are able
to worship in peace in said church and
that the only member of the church,
SO far as is known, who is objecting
thereto is Andrew Kpaorwiecz."
Expect Long Legal Battle.
A long legal battle is expected in
the troubles that have arisen regard
ing the church. which is an independ-
ent organic tion not connected with
other church organizations in Keno
sha. Wednesday after the Reverend
Nurkiewicz, the archbishop and some
members of the congregation had fail
ed to secure a temporary injunction
to secure the return Of the church
property, steps were taken to foreclose
mortgage liens against the property.
Attorney Lewis Powell is counsel
for. the Reverend Nurkiewicz and
those associated with him in the
church schism; Attorney A. L. Drury
is counsel for the defendants in the
original action.