The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-07-14
MANKATo FREE Press
FRIDAY, JULY IA, 1882.
His Tongue Gut Out.
John Natika's Terrible Experience at the Hands
of Russian Mob

John Natika's Terrible Experience at the Hands
of a Russian Mob.
No better illustration of the fcrocity
of the Russian mobs, in their attacks on
harmless Jews, can be had than the ease
of John Natik:t, now in New York,
where he arrived in company with thir-
teen of his co-rcliSionists on board the
steamer Greece recently. The unfor-
tunate man is completely dumb, his
tongue having been cut out ut its roots
by band of drunken marauders. He
is pitiable object to see, especially
when he attempts to make himself I'M
derstood by dull nasal sounds and gcs
ticulations. Yesterday morning his I'M
fortunate condition was brought to the
attention of Capt. Hcintzman. who re-
quested him to make Il written state
ment of his terrible experience. In nc
cordance with this request. John Nat
ika wrote story, four foolscap sheets
long. in Russian. Translated by IN Of
fetal interpreter, the same read in part
rs follows:
"My name is Jon Natika. l can not
speak. because my tongue was cut out
in Russia. lived in the neighborhood
III NltIl, lily buSlhtSS DtlIe VI AZ
clothier. Last October the peasants be-
came very abusive to us Jews and many
were brutally illtreated. At first they
let me alone, but in December n band
of peasants burned down one of my out
houses. | complained to the pristav
(police captain). but no one was arrest
ed. accumulated little money, y
fact which the moujiks soon learned.
On Jan. 3, was aroused by Il number of
them breaking into my room. They
dragged me out of bed, and beat and
kicked me badly. They wanted to get
my money and asked me for it. When
pleaded poverty they took me out in
to the garden, clad rs l was i'm my
night shirt, and, putting n rope around
my neck. hung me up to the limb of n
tree. When was half suilocatcd they
let me down again and asked me if |
would disclose the place where the mon
ey was hidden. Again / refused. upon
which. without further ado one of the
men forced open my mouth, and, while
the others held me, cut out my tongue
with pair of shears. They all then ran
away, while almost blcd to death. |
subsequently recovered in the hospital.
anu furnished the ponce WIN tnc names
and description of my ASSISTANTS. who
were, however. released on the trial"
Here Natika's narrative ends. Some
of his companions furnished to Truth
reporter the remainder of the harrow
ing tale. 1t seems that according TO
the Russian criminal code, no person
can be convicted of IN assault unless
| the complainant teStilies to the facts in
person and by word of mouth. In Natl
ka's case there could naturally be no
question of verbal testimony, inasmuch
rs, having lost his tongue, the COM
plant was dumb. This bubble was i'm
mcdiatcly taken hold of by the lawyer
for the plaintiffs, and. TO the surprise OF
everybody, the president of the court
ordered the prisoncrs-four in number
to be discharged. The day after this
decision took place another jew was
mutilatcd in manner similar to Natl
ka. in one of the suburbs of Kictf.
Natika and his companions will prob
ably be sent to Texas by the Hebrew
| Aid society.-NcW York Truth.