The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-07-04
His Tongue Onf Ont.
John Matthias Terrible Experience at the Hands
of Russian Mob.

Jonn Ndf1ka's Terrible Experience at the Hznds
of Russian Mob
No better illustration of the ferocity
of the Russian mobs, in their attacks on
harmless Jews, can be had than the case
of John Natika, now in New York,
where he arrived in company with thir-
teen of his co-religionists on board the
steamer Greece recently: The unfor-
tunate man is completely dumb, his
tongue having been cut out at its roots
by a band of drunken marauders. He
is a pitiable object to see, especially
when he attempts to make himself I'M
derstood by dull nasal sounds and ges-
ticulations. Yesterday morning his un-
fortunate condition was brought to the
attention of Capt. Heintzman. who re-
quested him to make written state
ment of his terrible experience. In ac-
cordance with this request, John Nat
ika wrote story, four foolscap sheets
long. in Russian. Translated by an of
fetal interpreter, the same read in part
as follows:
my name is Jon Natika. I can not
speak, because my tongue was cut out
in Russia. | lived in the neighborhood
of Kieff, my business being that of a
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 band
of peasants burned down one of my out
houses. / complained to the pristav
(poliee captain). but no one was arrest
ed. | accumulated a little money,
fact which the moujiks soon learned.
On Jan. 3, was aroused by a 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 was in my
night shirt, and, putting rope around
my neck, hung me up to the limb of
tree. When [ was half suffocated they
let me down again and asked me II I
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 a pair of shears. They all then ran
away, while / almost bled to desth. /
subsequently recovered in the hospital,
and furnished the police with the names
and description of my assailants, who
were, however, released on the trial"
Here Natika's narrative ends. Some
of his companions furnished to a Truth
reporter the remainder of the harrow
ing tale. 1t seems that according to
the Russian criminal code, no person
can be convicted of an assault unless
the complainant tcstifes 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
as, having lost his tongue, the- conl-
plant was dumb. This quib5le was i'm
mediatelv taken hold of by the lawyer
for the plaintiffs. and, to the surprise of
everybody, the president of the court
ordered the prisoners in number
to be discharged The day after this
decision took place another Jew was
mutilated in manner similar to Natl
ka, in one of the suburbs of Kief
Natika and his companions will prob
ably be sent to Texas by the Hebrew
Aid society.-Nea1 York Truth.