“Mr. Warszwiak Says It Is False.” New York Times, May 27, 1895, page 2.

MR. WARSZWIAK SAYS IT IS FALSE

Denies That He Locked Church Gates to Hold a Crowd for a Photographer.

The Rev. Hermann Warszwiak, a Christian Hebrew, who for six years has been engaged in missionary work among the Hebrews of the east side, denied yesterday the published story of a panic Saturday among his audience in the Church of the Sea and Land, Market and Henry Streets. It was stated that Mr. Warszwiak had the church gates locked, so that he might get a photograph of the congregation; that some one called out “Fire!” that the crowd rushed for the street, and that a man broke his leg while climbing over the gate.

Mr. Warszwiak was at one time in charge of the American Hebrew-Christian Mission, 17 St. Mark's Place, which is a department of the City Mission Society.

G. A. Benjamin, a prominent member of Temple Ahwath-Chesed, Fifty-fifth Street and Lexington Avenue, who made charges against Mr. Warszwiak several years ago, said yesterday to a reporter for The New-York Times: ``It is all an advertisement. Warszwiak wanted to have the audience photographed so that he could show it to his patrons as an evidence of the good work he was doing among the Jews. I have stated before, and I now reiterate, that this man is an impostor and a fraud. What is more, he has been a forger, and he now uses the money that is gleaned from hard-working Christians for his own personal needs. I have affidavits in my possession from Jews who are supposed to have been converted by him, declaring that they were paid money to change their faith.''

The committee in supervision of the Rev. Warszwiak's work consists of a number of well-known ministers in the city, of different denominations, among whom are Dr. John Hall, and Dr. Stimson of the Broadway Tabernacle.

The Rev. Mr. Warszwiak when seen by a reporter for The New-York Times last night said there was no truth in the story of the trouble at the Church of the Sea and Land Saturday. “The reason I had the gate locked,” he said, “was because the house was full and we did not want to have any more in. There was no excitement at all. There were about 1,000 persons in the audience, and at least 300 of them remained for the after-service. I did not go away from the church, and knew nothing of the trouble outside until after the second service was over. I know nothing about the photographer being there.”

The Rev. Dr. John Hall, who is Chairman of the Committee of the American Mission to the Jews, declined last night to talk about the alleged trouble. “Mr. Warszwiak,” he said, “severed his connection honorably with the City Mission Society last September, since which time he has been carrying on an independent work, and has been making good progress.”