The Washington times., 1933-12-25
ATTEMPT MADE
ON LIFE ALSO
IN AUGUST
July Outbreak at World Fair
Followed by Attack in
/, WorChester, Mass.
CONTINUED from Page -

Gplendor OF one OF the Oldest
Christian
The church was decorated in
religious Splendor, befitting the
celebration of the birth of Christ.
Approximately $50 pariShonerS
had crowded into the church.
Choir boys, bedecked in black cas-
socks and white surplices, chanted
q hymn for the ecclesiastical
dignitary.
The altar boys were followed by
two acolytes who bore tall, silver
candlesticks and strobe before the
Rt. Rev. Hovsep Garabdeian, re-
Splendent in the robes OF blshop.
Other acolytes followed.
Long Knife Drawn
Then came the dignified figure
of the bishop, a strapping man, 8
feet 4 inches tall and weighing
23O pounds. His long grey beard
was draped down over the costly
vestmentS.
AS he reached q point about six
pews from the rear of the church,
-four men rose simultaneously.
One pinioned the arms OF the
archbishop, while two others
warded off anyone who attempted
10 interfere. The fourth man
drew a long butcher knife and
plunged it through the conse
Grated vestments three times into
the body of the archbishop.
The patriarch slumped heavily
upon his gold crozier until it bent
in the middle from his weight.
He fell across pew dead.
Guard Draws Gun
Parshioners were electrified to
attention and began to mill aoouC
their fallen idol in an attempt 10
rapture the aSSassinS. kaSSo1
Gargodian, the archbishop'S body
p1lard. drew his revolver, which
he had a permit to carry be-
cause of other attempts on the
patriarch's life. He commanded
everyone in the church to re-
main where they were, but was
swept aside by the mob which
totally disregarded his revolver.
Scores of men and women
rushed to the street, including.
according to police, at least two
of the four assasSinS. Policeman
Charles Uebelacker, on special
duty outside the church, at
tempted to enter and quiet the
congregation, but went down
under the impact Of umbrellas
and canes and trampled upon
by the surging crowd.
He managed to seize two men,
however, as he went down, and
clung to them until others came
to his aid. They were Matos
Leylegian, 40, who, with his
brother, Avedios, operates
grocery store, and Nishan SarkiS-
ian, 38. also a grocer.
30 Witnesses Nabbed
Police found the butcher knife,
a new one with an eight-inch
blade, but were frustrated in
their attempt to identify the
assassin by fingerprints, as he
had carefully wrapped the handle
in brown paper.
Thirty witnesses we're rounded
up by the police, who arrived in
five radio cars, an emergency
truck, and special detective cars.
They were taken to the police
station for questioning.
Archbishop Tourian was the
spiritual direc tor of 100000
persons in America, with the ex-
ception of California, and South
America. He formerly was Arch
bishop of Smyrna, Vicar Patriarch
of ConStantinople, Patriarch at
Jerusalem, and played a large
part in the care of Armenians
sheltered in America from the
Turkish maSsacreS.
UndercurrentS of disSenSion had
been heard in the church since his
arrival from Manchester, England,
where he served as archbishop, in
June, 1881. The trouble first came
to light in an outbreak at the
Chicago Fair last July 2.
Invited to deliver an Armenian
Day address, the archbishop re-
fused to do so until the tricolor Of
the shortlived republic in 1918
was hauled down. The younger
element accused him of leaning
toward the Soviet government,
which has taken Armenia under
its wing.
His friends denied these
ehargeS and declared he was
equally opposed to display Of the
Soviet flag in church paradeS and
functions. He was quoted as say
ing:
!, "We're in America now. I
want you all to be Americans.
You must abide by the law here
and leave your old world
anemOSitieS in Armenia"
This attitude, however, caused
a serious break in the church in
Chicago and later caused
Schism here. In Chicago, it was
voted reluctantly to haul down
the Armenian flag and the arch
bishop then made his address with
only the colors of the United
States flying above his head.
MalcOntents Upbraided
Those opposed to his attitude
Immediately sent protests to His
Holiness, Khoron, the Catholicus,
or Exarch, supreme head of the
Church in Aremenia, and compar-
able to the Pope in the Catholic
Church.
His Holiness upbraided the NAL
contents and said he was in
hearty accord with Archbishop