FIGHT IN A CHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9711, 5 January 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

FIGHT IN A CHURCH.

The members of several of the African Methodist Episcopal Churches in New York have been greatly agitated over the proposed consolidation of their congregations with that of the chapel in Harlemstreet, in that city. A conference was held at the Temple, and the police reserves had to be called out to prevent a riot. The delegates became so heated in their arguments for and against consolidation that the greatest disorder prevailed. Women were slapped in the face; men were punched in the nose, and the male members of the flock defended themselves with razors. Incidentally, a policeman and half a dozen firemen became swallowed up in the crowd which was fighting at the door. Then it was that an appeal was sent around to an adjoining police station for reserves to turn out. The members of the different churches were far from unanimous in favour of the proposed consolidation, and each congregation was divided against itself. Delegates had been selected by each of the churches to meet and talk over the matter. The discussion was a lively one. One of the delegates called a member of the Church a liar, and then the scrimmage commenced. " You're a liar yourself," " Pub them out," "Throw them downstairs," "Jump on them," were some of the threats made. One woman sprang to the front and declared that the delegates were intruders and ought to be thrown out. She had her face slapped for her trouble. Her husband retaliated, and started in bo wipe the floor with about a dozen men. A shining array of steel stopped him, for every man had drawn a razor. Members and delegates, still shouting imprecations at each other, surged down the stairway and into the street, where the fight was renewed. Police-constable Bucki idge, who was on duty ab the corner, ran to the scene, and, drawing his club, disappeared among the crowd. He was not seen for some minutes, and when he emerged his coat was torn off his back, and his clothes had been cub in strips by razors. He was thankful that he escaped with his life. Four firemen from the engine house across the street also ran to the spot and tried to stop the fight, but they did not succeed. They went back with clothes cub and bodies bruised. When the reserves came they used their clubs vigorously, and succeeded in scattering the crowd and stopping the fighting. There were many who went home with battered heads and cut and bruised bodies, but none was so seriously injured as to require immediate medical attendance. The consolidation scheme has fallen through.