The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-26

st. Petersburg. Wednesday, May 20.
The circular of Interior Minister Won
Plehwe issued May 18th ascribed the
massacre of the Jews at Kischeneff
largely to acts of self defence on the
part of the Jews and continued:
The event at kischeneff have
alarmed the Jewish portion of n
population in many regions of the en-
pire and lave occaSioned rumor among
the Christians abou intended Jewish
prosecutions. In some of the cities the
Jews began forming self defense asso-
Citations. After 1 reported to his ma
jesty about the disorders his majesty
commanded me to impress on the COM
manders in the provinces and towns
that they are obliged and are held per-
sonally responsible to take all the
necessary measures to prevent violence,
and calm h populace in order to re-
moV the occasion Of fears for life and
property in any portion.
In informing your eXcellency OF the
mOnarch'S will. l feel obliged to state
for your guidance that no sort of assO-
Citations for self defense can be toler-
ated.'
THE Jew are not inclined to depend
solely on the police and have armed
themselves IN spite of the circulars,
throughout the Jewish belt. I'm
doubtedly their action prevented a rep
etitiOn of the massacre at kieV, Odessa,
Minsk and elsewhere. The Minsk
Jews are SO alarmed that the slightest
outbreak causes a general closing and
barricading of their shops
Answering a private letter asking for
his opinion of the Kischeneff massacre,
Count TOlStoi writes:
My relations to the Jews and the
terrible Kischeneff affair must be clear
to everybody interested in their beliefs.
My relations to the Jews can only be
as that to brothers whom l love. not
because they are Jews, but because
they and everybody are the sons of one
Father, God. That love does me no
violence, because / have met and know
Jews who are good people. My relation
to the Kischeneff affair is also describ-
ed in my religious beliefs. Knowing
all the frightful details I understood
the horror and felt intense pity for the
innocent victims Of mob
mingled with p~erplexIty at the bestial-
ity of the so-called Christians, and
aversion and disgust for the so-called
ducate people who inStigated the
moi and sympathized with its deeds.
Above all L was Mortified at the real
CulpTlI. Namely. the Will
it's foolish, fanatical priesthood n
gang of robber officials. The kiScheneff
crime was a consequence of preaching
lies and violence which the government
carries on with UGH stubborn energy.
The governments relation to the af-
fair is new proof of its rude egOtism,
h~esitating at no atrocity when IT is a
question of crushing movements re-
garded as dangerous and is proof Of It's
complete equanimity, which is like that
Of the Turkish government towards the
Armenian massacres and most horrible
atrocities, if only its interests remain
untouched"
UNCLE AND AUNT KILLED.
Atlanta, Ga, May Pin. Wietmann,
a Hebrew resident Of Atlanta, today re-
celved a lettre from his brother. Abra-
ham Weitmann. dated kiScheneff, in
which the writer tells of the recent
massacre, and relates the murder Of
their uncle and aunt. a translation
Of the letter follows:
Il am not able to write much be-
u I am so excited, as the massacre
occurred only four days ago, in which
our uncle Tche Qsaac) and Aunt Reeve
(Rebecca) were murdered, with over
one hundred Russian Jews. If I wrote
too much about it the government