The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-25
THE ANT|-JEWISH
RIOTS IN MOBILE
Police and Military Openly
Aided the Mob.
COLD-BLoOOEO CRIMES
When the J-ws Appealed for PrOtt cOn Troops
Were Sent, But These Joined the Riot
ers in the Work Of B god and
Plumber.
(By the Associated Press.)

10y OuG <ASSOCldtEQ ICco.J
Gomel, Government of Mobile, Russia,
September 21.-The Associated Press cor
respondent has made an investigation on
the spot of the pogrom as the Russians
describe the anti-Semite riots, which oc-
Cured here September IL and were re-
newed. for several days. The riots were
smaller, but perhaps more remarkable than
those which took place at Kisheneff be-
cause the police and military openly sided
with the plunderers and murderers, the
'pogrOmshlks,' as the Russians called
them. The troops, supported by many
educated and well to do Christians, form
ed a movable shield, behind which the
''pogromshiks' ruthlessly demolished the
jewish homes and shops and cruelty
dubbed such Jews as fell into their hands,
lelsurely proceeding from street to street
and district to district as they did so.
The trouble began September H. a hol-
iday, (the day of the beheading of John
the Baptist) in a wrangle in the fruit and
fish markets between moujiks (peasants)
and Jews. The wrangle ended in a free
fight in which many were wounded, one
moujik succumbing to his injuries The
moujiks demanded vengeance and employ
ed the following days, Saturday and Sun
day in infiaming the anti-Semite agitation,
the leaders being an officer named Pen
sky and rich merchant named Petra
chenko.
Everybody knew that pogrom would
occur on Monday and the Jews appealed
for protection to Chief of Police Ravsky,
IN info f,o
its summer encampment. Thus there
were 1, 500 soldiers in the town. At lunch
con hour on Monday the anti-Semitic
railway workmen to the number of some
hundreds began an organized attack on
the Jewish house in ZamOvakays, striking
them and demolishing or spelling the
bulky articles by soaking them in kero-
sene and applying the torch. Police
Ravsky had placed police and troops on
the Zamayaya, but they acted as though
they were intended to protect the po-
gromshiks from interference. Jews who
tried to cross their lines to rescue their
co-religionists were brutally dubbed with
the soldiers guns bayonetted or arrested.
Altogether nearly 400 houses and shops
were wholly or partially wrecked, the
windows smashed, the blinds and frames
being splintered and every scrap of furni-
ture and effects, even the samovars, sew
ing machines. mirrors and lamps destroy
ed or stolen. The Jews, who did not take
refuge with compassionate Christians or
conceal themselves in cellars were secret
ly beaten, and in many cases dangerously
wounded Some young Jews exasperaUed
by the action of the police and troops,
armed themselves with any available
weapons and tried to force their way TO
the threatened houses. One Jewess st
tempted to shoot a non-commissioned offI-
Ger and twenty-five revolver shots were
heard in the vicinity of the bazaar. but
were apparently fired in the air, as 10
one was hurt
The police then undertook to disarm
the Jews. Forty building laborers collected
In the busiest part of Roumianzovskaya
street and stopped and beat every passing
jew This gang was encouraged by AS
sstant Police Captain Carnolonsky and
Rural Police Commander Yelensky. The
gang dubbed Berg Kevesh to death In
the presence of these officers. and after
the victim had been removed to the hos
pltal the latter continued an amicabe con-
versatlon with the murderers, none of
whom was arrested. The Jews rallied in
force at Kennaya Square, at four o'clock
III the dLteTHOoH WHen the military Hfeu
on them, willing three and wounding
others. Presumably on the governors in
structions, the military employed their
fire arms against the pegromshks in the
Caucasus killing three. This action
and nlghtfall put an end to the pogrom.
few houses were pillaged Tuesday,
and two more on Wednesday. after which
no disorders occurred until September IS,
when a fruit gardener named ZYagelsky,
was barbarously slaughtered by thieves.