Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-22
A PROSECUTED PEOPLE.
The story of Refugee Israelites from
Russia.

Among the eighteen Jewish refugees
from Russia who arrived at Castle
Garden, New York, on Friday, are two
men named respectively Diamont and
Aronstein, who were interviewed by a
World reporter. Aronstein said: ''In
April last the people became so aroused
against us that it was impossible to con-
troll them without an actual attack by
the soldiery and the police. The COM
mander at Kief saw that unless he sub
mitted to the people the riot would in
volve the Russians as well as the Jews,
and that the people must be allowed to
rob us unless some of them were killed.
He addressed the people and the SOL
diers, asking that quiet be kept, but at
the same time acknowledged his in
ability to preserve order. The con-
sequence was that we were attacked
with impunity The soldiers were in the
town, but they either remained indif-
ferent or actually assisted in the oppres-
sion. In and around Kief there were
twenty thousand Jews These lost every
thing. Mr.. Diamont here was q large
merchant, dealing chiefly in sugar and
tea, and was considered a wealthy man.
Now he has nOthing-hardly cent. l,
too, was in business, and / have lost
everything. We come to America to
begin life again, but on harder terms
than when we first started. April 26 and
27 were the worst days for us. We had
been driven out of our homes; our goods
had all been stolen; what could not be
taken was destroyed; furniture was
broken or burned; our food was taken
q w xun 10 IL 40
lives. Those two days l lived in a
cellar. Mr.. Diamont was with us.
We had nothing to eat or drink and we
did not dare to go out. Our greatest
fear was for our young ones. We did
not dare to let our hiding place be
known, and we remained in the cellar.
hungry and thirsty. We were in hiding
for tifty-tWo hours. In this time every-
thing was destroyed. There was nothing
more to steal, and the people had grown
quiet; so we ventured to leave the cellar
in order not to starve to death. But
even then we could not all get bread.
We got water and sustained ourselves.
Then we formed sort of encampment.
We made tents when we could, and
those who could not lived as they might.
We still suffered from hunger, and many
grew very i'll. Finally the Sisters of
Charity took pity on US and gave HIS food.
They brought us many wagon loads of |
bread to our encampment, and each one
little slice. This saved our |
lives, but hardly relieved our misery.
After this was over those who could do |
so went into Germany. We were al
lowed to go without molestation. In |
Berlin many Of us were received into |
hospitals. Twas i'll in hospital for two
weeks, and so were others of our party. |
During the riots at Kieff many families
were separated, but when quiet came
hey found each other again, and do
not think any were missing. No lives
we're lost, the object of the rioters being
olunder. They were jealous of us. We |
we're more industrious and more success.
iul than the other classes of the people,
md they hated us on that account. They |
will continue to hate us, and those of us
who have not already left Russia will
nave to do so, In the rural districts
ome Jews who own land will be allowed
o remain, but these are very few"