The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-06-14
ANOTHER PAGE FROM
KISH|NEV'S STORY
Horrors of the Massacre Told by
One of the Survivors.

The following letter received by a
resident of Washington, and translated
by Rabbi ]. T. Loeb. has been sent by
him to The Times:
n. Bernstein, 1926 Fourteenth Street
northwest, Washington, D. G.
Dear Cousin: HOW shall 1 begin my
writing to you. My head is still turn
ing from the storm and torture OF the
pogrom'' we have undergone You
ought to know the particulars of the
misfortune from the newspapers. The
atrocities we have endured here have
not their equal in the worlds history
During the two days OF the 9Th and TIN
of last April our people were plundered
and butchered in an indescribable man
ner, while the police stood by and looked
at the spectacle with evident satisfac
ton. Three-quarters of the city have
been destroyed, fifty Jews were killed
outright, while hundreds were fatally
injured. Our homes were pillaged of
all they had contained. Ike a deep
snow the feathers that were let loose
had covered the entire city. Everything
which was not plundered was broken,
houses of worship were desecrated in
a most barbarian manner. The Holy
Scrolls were rent asunder, and upon the
spread of their parchment were COM
mitted the most foul and disgraceful
crimes. sexton in one of the
synagogues attempted to protect the
Torahs when he was brutally felled TO
the ground and murdered. Numerous
women were outraged in a most horrible
manner. A tragic scene 1 have witnessed
at the holy ground" when forty vic
Tins were inferred. The cry Of the or
phans and the widows then rent the
heavens. Later. another ten were car
ried to their graves. Day by day people
die as a result of the injuries and hor-
rors. Ny wife gave premature birth to
dead child and has been sick ever
since.
What will be in days to come? This.
only God knows. a Jewish deputation
was sent to st. Petersburg, and the min
lister Of the interior has assured them
of protection for the future. Meanwhile
the governor and the chief OF police were
dismissed.
Thursday, May 8, we have had here
day of fasting and general lamentation.
BY order of the rabbis our community
had all abstained from eating and drink
ing assembling in the houses of prayer
and chanting the psalms, going to the
'-felds' and praying for the souls of
the martyrs; weeping and wailing- and
crying so piteously that the voice must
have been heard on high
Now let me inform you about ourselves:
Your Uncle Hyman, Aunt Celia. and their
children, so also Uncle Meyer and his wife
and children, Aunt Jochebed and chill
dren. and myself and wIfe-an of us,
thank Heaven-have been saved alive.
But cur effects have been robbed and
spoiled. the pillows all torn, and every
thing destroyed Only few things that
/ hid in the cellar were saved. But
Aunt Jochebed and her son Isaac were
utterly ruined. They were left even as
naked as they were born, and they had
barely escaped with their lives. The old
woman's husband, Archie, her son Ma
than, and youngest son Solomon, are all
dead Her eighteen-year- girl was
outraged. They handel in e
petition to the committee for soc rubles
indemnity, but 80 rubles were all that was
granted. and they are literally without
food and without cover.
We ourselves have been left destitute
and in misery and without any pros
poets for living. but the poor old We
mans misfortune is the worst. She has
not even the means for one days sup
port. And then her girl. Uncle Meyer,
thank God, has escaped without injury.
Leah. another daughter of Aunt Joche-
bed. and her husband Alex, are also safe,
but without means OF subsistence.
Dear cousin. If it be possible for you
to afford us some aid, especially to
Aunt Jochebed, you Will do the greatest
act Of charity you have done in your
life. Although money is being sent to
Kishinev from all parts of the world
they do not give it out until Succoth
Feast of Tabernacles) when arrange
ments will be made for our people here
to immigrate TO Palestine. In dread OF
a renewal OF "pogroms" we are every
day.
Now, can write to you all I know
about your wifes relatives: Hannah
| Cyril, Isaac, and the rest OF the children
are alive. but Lazer and Uncle Yudel OF
the Bridge are dead. AS TO the rest Of
the family I shall lind out and write to
| you Immediately.
I beg of you TO please write us how
things are In America, what they say
there as regards the Kishiney massacre.
Your cousin.
NATHAN BERNSTEIN.
| n q Minkovskaya IT,, Kishinev, Russia.
p. S.-Greetings from father, mother,
Uncle Meyer and wife and children. Aunt
| Jochebed. Leah and Alex Our regards
TO your wife and children. Oh, how We
all long to be with you in America and
have escaped from this land, where our
lives are in peril every day!
| &I.n0 to EIederick Kaedusyilla for An