The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-08
THE JEWS LEAP.

tains along which runs a trail that no ami
NAL can turn on and no two animals can
pass each other on. Below the trail there
is q chasm 700 feet deep, and this place
within the last few years has come to be
known as THE Jews Leap" This is the
reaSOn:
II the spring of 1873 a party of Jews.
ten in number, were on their way with
pack Of heavily laden mules to the Don
country, where they were to attend fair
IL was ever the custom for parties coming
over from the north to send man ahead
on foot to see if the road was clear par
ties from Circassia having the right Of
way.
If the road was all right, the man sent
In front fired OF a bomb, the explosion Of
which told as it echoed along the pass that
all was we'll
Captain Blatzky, who was going south
with small escort Of mounted Cossacks,
wholly ignoring this precaution, said to
his guide:
g There are no soldiers coming this way.
The only party we can meet is some jew
ish peddIers, and if they get IN my way
will hurl them over the cliffs"
There was nothing left for the soldiers
but to obey, so they rode on, and at length
entered the pass, Captain Blatzky bring
ing up the rear.
The setting sun was pouring his level
rays through the defile when the Russian
reached the highest and narrowest point,
with the Jewish traders. who, by the Gus
tom of the place, had the right of way
When Captain Blatzky saw the party
that opposed him, he drew his sword and
shouted out.
Curse the dogsl Hurl them over the
The Jews heard the savage order and
held short consultation. To 60 back
was impossible for all were leading their
mules, as the Russians were their horses
I'VE have the right of way, " replied the
foremost jew, whose only weapon was
stout staff.
You have no rights, - reared the Rus
sian.
NO rights in the valleys and towns, -
replied the Jew resOlutely, but up here,
nearer to God and man to man,
equal
Pitch him over and stop his talking"
yelled the officer.
Try it and take the consequences, 2
was the spirited response
The guide leaped forward with drawn
sword, and the merchant, a stalwart
young man, raised his staff and stood on
the defensive.
After fencing for a few seconds the
Jew s staff was cut in two but before his
assailant could strike him with his sword
he leaped forward and caught him in his
arms, and the two fell over the cliff and
dashed in bleeding mass on the rocks
below. The second Russian sent the
y
then stood face to face with another resO-
lutte man armed only with a stout stick
The Russian lost a precious second of time
in trying to draw his pistol, for the staff
whistled above his head and unconscious
and never to be conscious again he tum-
BLEED into tie depths. Then the Jew sent
the Russians horse after him and and
came face TO face with a second man.
Seeing the fate of his companion, the
third Russian caught his opponent IN his
r. "a.
The issue would have been doubtful had
not the Cossack's horse plunged forward
in its fright and dashed against the men,
hurting them and itself into the awful
abyss.
Both parties were now wrought up to a
frenzy that blinded them to all cOnsidera-
tions of life.
The Russians were like bloodthirsty
savages who find their slaves rising against
them in revolt.
The Jews lost their habitual prudence
and were stung to a desperate resistance
by the memory Of generations Of outrage
and rapine
In the dense settlements the Russians
might be masters. Here they were man
to man, with all the advantage of arms
on the side of the transgressors.
The fourth Jew picked up a sword that
a Russian had dropped before he went
over and down to death. He was young
man, unslxilled in the use Of such a veap-
II
rock to the left would have baked all
sword play.
With the fury of a tiger he hurled over
his opponent and sent his horse after him
The Jew had lost a brother, and his gray
haired father was behind him.
With such warcry as never burst from
Jewish lips since the Maccabees led Israel
to victory the young man swept every liv-
ing thing from his path until he came
face to face with the last man, Captain
Blatzky.
The Russian fired his pistol straight
into the young mans face, making a
rious but not fatal wound Certain it is
it did not stay the Irresistible onset
The officers sword leaped up, but it
was too late. He felt the wet blade at
his throat and the next instant he had
Joined the men he had SO ANONYMOUSLY
led to death
The surviving merchants hastily made
their way into Turkish territory, where
they were safe, leaving behind them a
name and memory that will last as long
as the mountains. The jews Leap -
Exchange