The character of one of Russell's opposers

 The New York Journal, January 30, 1899 - Spelling and punctuation as in original. 

L FOR HIS MISSION FRAUD

Sidersky Represented the Group as His Own Band of Proteges.

=PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN.=

Scheming Proselyter Exposed by a Man Who Recognized His Own Little Ones.

ADOLPH BENJAMIN, who was chiefly instrumental in securing evidence against Herman Warszawiak, declares he has unearthed an “outrageous” scheme for swindling persons interested in the advancement of Christianity.

A man calling himself the “Rev.” Philip Sidersky exploited himself as a missionary to the Jews and director of an educational institution at Rosenheim N. J., near which place the Baron Hirsch colonies are situated. Mr. Benjamin spent several days in investigating this “school.”

His attention was first attracted to the institution when he visited the office of the Christian Herald, in this city, early last week. The editor had ready for publication a long article on the benevolent movement in Southern New Jersey, and with it was a photograph showing a large group of children, some two score in number, and described as “Proteges of the Emanuel Home Mission.”

Benjamin had never heard of the school, though he is acquainted with most of the institutions of that character, both in this country and in England; but Sidersky he recognized as a disciple of Warszawiak, whom he had assisted to depose.

the photographs and started on a trip of investigation to Rosenhayn. He reached there on Tuesday afternoon, and went to the house of a friend of his named Philipowltz, proprietor of a clothing manufactory in that place.

The Deception Exposed.

In the course of the evening he disclosed his mission to his friend, and showed him the photographs. The sight of it produced astonishment in his host, who recognized at once a picture of a group of the children of the public school, taken early last October. In the group he pointed out three of his own children.

Benjamin, after that, lost no time in going to the address of Sidersky, and found that he lodged with a villager named Meyer Cohen. On the outer wall of the house was a sign, describing it as the Emanuel Home Hebrew Mission.

Requesting to see some of the scholars he was informed by the landlord that there had never been any, and that the “missionary” simply hired one room in the house at the nominal rent of $2 monthly. The lodger himself spent not more than three days a week in the room he had. Cohen appeared rather vague in his conception of what the sign on the house really meant.

Could Not Find Sidersky.

Mr. Cohen then visited Captain Kilborn, one of the trustees of the public school,

showed him the photograph and explained the purpose for which he had come. Kilborn, he says, declared that Sidersky had long been under suspicion, but no proof had ever been secured against him. Mr. Benjamin, after his conversation with Kilborn, remained two days longer in Rosenhayn to confront the alleged “missionary” with what he considered proof positive of his moral turpitude, but was unable to find him.

He learned incidentally that a certain Gustavus Cohen had been working in sympathy with Sidersky and advocating his pretended movement for the education of Jewish children in the Christian faith.

His Confidence Misplaced.

So he sat down and wrote to the editor of the Christian Herald the following letter:

1523 Fairmount avenue

Philadelphia Jan. 26, 1899.

Editor of the Christian Herald:

Dear Sir –

I am glad that you have sent Mr. Benjamin to inspect and investigate the mission and work at Rosanhayn. He has done it effectively and I have no doubt of great benefit to me. It will save me being mixed up with a scheme which might have injured my reputation and the position I hold in England besides hindering my work in this country

Mr. Benjamin has carefully and judiciously gone into the question of Jewish missions and missionaries, and I am quite satisfied from his statements, proofs and vast experience that they are conducted in a way not creditable.

I am also pleased with the spirit and disposition Mr. Benjamin displayed in our discussion, although opposed to each other in Christian belief or Jewish thought. I can only say had we more men like him we would have less frauds committed with Jewish or any other missions.

Yours faithfully

Gustavus Cohen

Among other ways of exploiting his scheme, “Missionary” Sidersky had used the press to great effect.

The following is clipped from the Philadelphia Record of Saturday, January 21, and is the false account of a lecture supposed to have been delivered by Cohen, then working with him.

The article is dated Rosenhayn, January 20, and says in part:

Provide a reading room where young Hebrews can congregate and be under influences and surroundings calculated to elevate, instruct and eventually lead them to the light of the Master. For that purpose a mission has been commenced at Rosenhayn, among the Hewbrew colonists who came from Russia, Poland and other parts and were helped by the late Baron Hirsch to till the land and become farmers.

 

Here the newcomer has every facility to improve his mind; here he can study how to become a useful American citizen and get an honest living by industry and perseverance. Here he can form a class for the study of different subjects to qualify and improve his daily calling. He can, after a day’s work, spend a pleasant evening, indulge in healthy recreation, innocent games and feel that there is a wider, a brighter and better world in America, his new home, than in the country he left.

 Profit in the “School.”

Before this, on December 12. 1898, Sldesky had used the Philadelphia Inquirer to the extent of three-quarters of a column in praise of his “mission work.”

“I cannot tell how much money this Sidersky has collected by his fraudulent practices,” said Benjamin yesterday, “but I have reason to believe that it is a good round sum.

“I understand that he has been at this 'mission school' scheme and working it to a largo extent ever since last September at least.

“I made it my business to expose the dealings of the missionary Warszawiak, whose disciple this man is. I shall lose no effort in laying the machinations of all hypocrites open to the public whom they seek to defraud with their lies and false pretence of benevolence.

“I shall lose no effort in laying the machinations of all hypocrites open to the public whom they seek to defraud with their lies and false pretense of benevolence.

“The harm they work is especially great because it discourages the charity of persons who are ready to give to benevolent schemes out of the goodness of their hearts. I shyall leave no stone unturned in bringing all such frauds to light and destroying their power for evil in the future.”