Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-16
THE CZAR'S CRUELTY
Toward the Hebrews Confirmed in
Letters to This Country.
SNUBBED, ROBBED AND EXILED.
They Must Dance to Any Tune Which Suits
"a Russians Fancy.
AN ABSTRACT OF THE Expressive LAWS

AN ABSTRACT VF The EREPRESSlVE LAWS
The letters and papers from Russian
Israelites to their relatives in Philadelphia
daily bring fresh instances of the systematic
| persecution of the race by the Cars petty
officials. The Russians in this city are re-
| ceiving appeals from their cuelly burdened
brethren for tickets of deliverance from the
hand of the oppressor.
The extent of the persecution in the every
| day affairs of life among the down-trodden
race would surpass belief if the stories we're
not established beyond doubt by letters di-
rect from many victims Independently cor
roborating each other. These letters show
that it was not enough that the Government
should place every obstacle in the way of a
Hebrew rising to any place of prominence
or honor, in civil or military Office, but that
things have come to that pass where thriv-
ing citizens of this faith can be harassed
and driven from their homes that they can
be lawfully robbed of their property, re-
stricted in the honest business they may
wish to engage in, thrust out of their seats
in public conveyances, andsliterally kicked
and spat upon like ours in the very streets.
MUST STAND IN CARS.
In Russia there Is a law to sustain the
Russian who enters a street car, finds every
seat taken, and who taps an Israelite on the
shoulder and says: "Here, Jew, give up
your seatp' That is done in Kischenof,
city of over 100 900 inhabitants, in Southern
Russia, is shown BY letters received In Phil
adelphia, says the Inquirer OF that city.
One of them is written to M. L. Blitzstein,
who keeps a cigar store at Fourth and Lom-
bard streets. The letteris written in beauti-
full Hebrew style, which proves the writer's
culture. Among other things it says:
Some few days ago circular was sent around
to the various local officials to the effect that if
any "Jid" (Russian for Jew) riding in street
car is occupying seat and a Christian enters
who can find no vacancy the 'Jid' is bound to
give up his seat. And if the 'Jid' refuses
then the Christian can lodge complaint
against him with the gendarme who will enter
it on protocol and tbs 'Jid'' will be punished
by Punishment from the four ghboring dis
"Jid' and Christian quarrel in the street,
and the latter has two witnesses to testify that
the "Jid" insulted him. then the oHense iSpun-
ished under the same rule. 1t needs no telling
that each of us is envying those who have left
Russia.
The name of the writer of that letter was
in the copy of this article until two friends
of the oppressed Russian begged that the
name be withheld. They feared that he
would be traced out in Russia and made the
victim of revengeful persecution by the
Cars official minions before he can get
away from Kischenoff The main purpose
of the letter was to ask for tickets to bring
him to America. Thew will be sent.
The regulations about street quarrels
make it easy for any three loungers or
roughs to abuse any Hebrew they happen 10
meet, get into fight and then two of them
can readily swear that the inoffensive one
gave the insult and have him sent out of
the four districts. which would be an equiv
alent to prohibiting Philadelphia from
living here or in Chester, Delaware, Mont
gomery and Bucks counties.
STEALING PROPERTY BY LAW.
A Russian, named Sussman, who has been
in Philadelphia only few months, has Just
received letter from his brother, Isaac
Sussman, of Raden, Russian town near
the Armenian frontier Sussman owns
house and ground worth $4,000, and three
months before June 6, the date Of his letter,
he received notice from the chief city
official that he must sell out his property in
six months. The poor man sold out his
furniture and goods and sent his family to
America, and remained there himself to try
to sell his house. The official order being
made public, no Russian will pay him any
thing tor the property until the time is up,
when he is forced to sell it for a song or see
it confscated. Three months have passed,
and he is wondering what on earth to do to
save himself from poverty. What pretense
of a reason is set up for the order does not
exactly appear
There has been revival Of several harsh
laws that would serve the purpose of the
prosecution. One regulation was that no
Hebrew could possess property formerly
owned by monastery, that being consid-
cred horrible piece Of desecration. But
DR.. Spivak and B. Harris, of 1873 Spruce
street, who know the family and vouch for
the truth of the statements, mention other
regulations which would explain it. 1t
means in DR.. Spivak's opinion, that the
low prohibiting Hebrews from holding any
property whatsoever is being enforced. At
least it is enforced in every sense where it
suits the officials for any reason to drive out
a Hebrew"
EXPELLING THEM FROM TOWNS.
Another law which is now revived is that
which prohibits Israelites from living with
in 80 miles of the frontier, and the result is
that every Russian paper contains brief
statements that so many were expelled from
certain towns along the frontier. This
process of driving them out of the frontier
towns into the interior is going on rapidly.
Many who can afford to travel any other
way than afoot are emigrating.
One motive assigned for this action, which
seems to lack any motive but that of mali
cious persecution, is that they are danger
Gus element near the borders in case OF war
Another explanation lies in the fact that
the Government is ever at work trying to
paciIy the growing discomfort of the Russian
masses, whose minds are perverted to believe
that their poverty and misery are entirely
caused by the pernicious presence of
the Hebrews. The expulsion of dozens
of thrifty ones from a small town
makes business for their less thrifty, less
sober and less industrious competitors and
"times are good" again for awhile. Other
regulations tending in this direction prevent
a Jewish shoemaker from selling shoes un-
less they are made by himself. A watch
maker can sell his own watches, but he can
not buy and sell watches.
For refusing OF neglecting to doff their
hats to the officials and gentry they receive
due punishment, and it is announced in a
July copy of the Nouorossusky Telegraph
that for such ofenses they may no longer
have the usual trials, but their punishment
shall be at the discretion of the minor magis-
trates before whom the offender is dragged.
HIGH.HANDED oUTRAGEs.
Word has just come to Mr. Harris that in