Articles and Court Documents Relating to Lawsuit Filed Against Rabbi Eliezer Silver and Criminal Case Against the Accusers of Rabbi Eliezer Silver

1941

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$152,500 Being Sought From Rabbi by Couple

Action Follows Their Ac-quittal on Assault Charges.

Mrs. Anna Sherman and her hus-band, Edward Sherman, 711 Ridge-way Avenue, recently acquitted on the charge of an assault upon Rabbi Eliezer Silver, 820 Hutchins Avenue, filed three suits Wednesday in Com-mon Pleas Court against Rabbi Silver, asking total damages of $152,500. Through Attorney W. F. Hopkins, Edward Sherman alleges that he was defrauded of his laundry, formerly located at 3118 Reading Road, through the conduct of the rabbi, and he asked for $52,000 damages as the result. In a separate suit Sherman asks $50,000 damages, alleging that the rabbi and his agents maliciously caused the prosecution of Sherman and his wife on the alleged assault charge.

THIRD ACTION
The third suit filed by Mrs. Sherman also alleges malicious prosecution and seeks damages of $50,500. One of the petitions recites that in October, 1939, Max Kut, a refugee from Germany, suggested to Sherman that they enter into a partner-ship to operate Sherman's existing laundry business. Sherman said that he and Kut went to Rabbi Silver at Kut's suggestion and that the Rabbi told them to dispense with the services of lawyers and that he would draw the partnership agreement. According to the petition the resulting contract was drawn in Hebrew, and after it had been signed Rabbi Silver blessed the enterprise.

"PRACTICED DECEIT"
Sherman charges that Rabbi Silver, related to Kut through marriage, "practiced deceit, fraud and chicanery, employing and prostituting his office as rabbi, and practiced religion without piety, in order that he might through his agent, Kut, gain possession of said plaintiff's laundry business." Sherman added that he relied upon the representations of Rabbi Silver because of the latter's office, but he declared that the representations were malicious and fraudulent and "in pursuance of said scheme and purpose to cheat and defraud said plaintiff out of his laundry business." Rabbi Silver is presidium of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis in the United States and Canada.

RABBI'S STATEMENT
"I Am Confident That Justice Will Be Done in This New Action."
Rabbi Eliezer Silver, when told of the suits, declared: "In this new court action, I am confident justice will be done." He reviewed the previous assault case, adding: "Through court action taken today, I am now being subjected to still another kind of attack—an attack that has as its direct aim the financial gain of those bringing suit against me. "I regret to learn that such action has been taken. The purpose of the prosecution undertaken originally in my behalf was to strengthen the belief of all of us in an orderly conduct of society and in the sanctity of the law; also to assure me protection against possible future attacks."