Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-05-09
MASSACRE OF JEWS.

The central committee in New York
for the relief Of the Kishinef sufferers
have given out a statement which reads /:
'The full story of the terrible mas
sacres which occurred in Kishinof, the
capital of Bessarabia, on April 20 to
April %, is now coming to hand in the
shape of kilograms and letters from the
scene of the outrages. No exact ngures
are to be had, but so much is certain
that at least 100 Jewish men, women
and children, and some non-Jews who
defended them, we're butchered, and that
over 900 persons were wounded. One
telegram states that van loads of cripples
were sent to Odessa, the nearest city.
Many went mad, owing to the terror
which prevailed in Kishineh. The i'm
mediate cause of this terrible incident Is
a blood accusation charge raised against
the Jews of Dubosary, to which city the
officials Of KhorsOn and Odessa repaired
prior to the Russian Easter IN order to
deny the story, as twas generally known
that a plot had been hatched to sigma
lie the Easter holy day by general
massacre of the Jews. The gov
ernor of Kishinef himself was
warned, but paid no heed, for it was
only after the excuses had lasted three
DAYS that the Jews were given permis-
sion to shoot their assailants, and thou
sands of troops we're rushed to kietf to
patrol the streets and guard the people.
The alarm spread to Kicfl, where, how
ever. the officials announced that any
assault on the Jews would be met with
severe punishment. The Odessa com
munity faced the situation by arming it
self Notwithstanding Minister Won
Piewve has started an investigation and
undertaken to protect the Jews, the riot
ing is spreading to the whole of Russian
Jewry. The information published in
the Official Gazette of ST. Petersburg,
which naturally minimizes the whole at
fair. gives this description of the out
RACES The disorders which ensued in
spite of the arrival of troops assumed a
terrible character. We quote from let
ters received by members of the central
committee for the relief of the
Kishinef sufferers from the center of
the rioting: Not one Jewish house es-
caped unscathed. Only those who man
aged to hide escaped death, Only after
the arrival Of troops did we dare to show
ourselves in the street. Food could no
be purchased. Only those who had mat
zoths left over from Passover had some
thing to eat. The distress is intense.
Many will strave to death. The peril Is
not over. Two hundred persons were
killed, and thehospitals are eovercrowded.
For three days in succession we were as
saulted and robbed. No word has been
received from st. Petersburg that we
NAV shoot in self defense. Thousands OF
soldiers patrol the streets The synagogues
are sacked and piros of scrolls Of the
law Ay i'm the streets Christians who
attempted to defend the Jews were also
killed. The new market was totally des-
troyed, and Alexander street was ruined.
Bed clothing was torn to shreds and
broken furniture Obstructs the street.
The distress following the massacre is
graphically illustrated in another letter,
which reads. Hundreds Of erstwhile
wealthy families are huddled together in
starving condition. Three wagon loads
of bread were brought from Odessa and
distributed. Among those who applied
for loaves of bread were many who were
in prosperous condition before the break.
They are now left destituted, withouteven
means enough to live but the day. They
were robbed of all they possessed, and
what the frenzied mob could not take
they DESTROYED. Those who were saved
are now living in terror of repetition
Of the atrocities. We were saved by a
Christian neighbor, who sheltered us in
his own home. When the mob reached
our house the noble Christian told
them that we had fed anticipating
their arrival. Collections in aid of the
victims have been taken up in every
city in the United States. The reports
received by the central committee show
that already $4,000 has been collected
of which S4. 900 has been cabled to
Kishineff, from New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and Scranton" "
Bessarabia is located in southwest
Russia. on the Roumaniau frontier, its
area being about $4,000 square miles,
with mixed population Of about a
million and a halfcompOsed Of Russians,
Poles, Armenians, Jews, Greeks, Bull
parians, Germans, and other peoples.
Bessarabia fell into the power Of the
Turks in 1903, and suffered heavily in
all the wars with Russia, to which ma
ton it was ceded in 1872.
SHOT SEVEN NEGRoEs.-Lindsay
Earles, young white man living on
Whites Creek, Wayne county, W: Va,
got into a quarrel with a number OF
colored laborers employed on some
| railroad construction on the extension