The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-24
JEWS WERE VICTIMS
pEATEN AND PLUNDERED WHILE.
SOLDIERS STOOD BY.
HOUSES AND SHOPS WRECKED
poLICE AND MILITARY OPENLY
SIDED WITH PLUNDERERS.

the Crusade-Jews Who Did Not
Take Refuge with Christians or
Hide in Cellars Severely Handled.
Je,vess Tried to Kill Ohicer-MiIi-
tary Killed Three Jews and Three
Peasants.
Gomel, Government of Mohi'ty, Rus
STA. Monday, Sept. 21.--The Associated
vestigation on the spot of the "Pog-
rom" as the Russians describe the anti
Semitic riots which occurred here Sept.
ii. and were renewed for several days.
The riots were smaller, but perhaps
more remarkable than those which took
place at Kishineff, because the police
and military openly sided with the
plunderers and murderers. the "pog-
romshiks," as the Russians called them.
The troops, supported by many edu-
Gated and well-to-do Christians, formed
a movable shield, behind which the
"pogromshiks" ruthlessly demolished
the Jewish homes and shops and cru
ely dubbed such Jews as fell into their
hands, leisurely proceeding from street
TO street and district to district as they
did so.
The commerce and industry of Gomel
which is considerable, is lar geIy in the
hands of the Jewish population, num-
berng $4,000 Few of the residents are
wealthy, but none are paupers. The
Jewish artisans incline to socialism.
Began i'm Market Row.
The trouble began Sept. IL. holiday
0he day of the beheading of John, the
BaptisD, in wrangle in the fruit and
fish markets between moujiks (peas-
ants) and Jews. The wrangle ended in
free fight. in which many were
wounded, one moujik succumbing to his
injuries.
The moujiks demanded vengeance and
employed the following days, Saturday
and Sunday, in inhaming the anti
Semitic agitations, the leaders being an
officer named Pensky and a rich mer-
chant named Petrachenko.
Everybody knew that a pogrom
would occur on Monday, and the Jews
Appealed for protection to Chief of Po-
lice Ravsky, who summoned an infan-
Try regiment from it's summer encamp-
ment. Thus there were 1000 soldiers
in the town. At luncheon hour on
Monday the anti-Semitic railway work.
men to the number of some hundreds
began an organized attack on the jew
ish houses in Zamovkaya street, sack
ing them and demolishing or spelling
the bulky articles by soaking them
with kerC sene.
Police Favored Peasants.
Police Chief Ravsky had placed police
and troops on the Zamovkaya, but
they acted as though they were in
tended to protect the progromshiks
from interference. Jews who tried to
cross their lines to rescue their CO.
religionists were brutally dubbed with
the soldiers guns, bayoneted or ar
rested. Meanwhile recruits from the
pogromshiks poured steadily over the
bridge leading from the railway work.
shops A bystander begged the COM
mander of the gendarmerie to send
troops to guard the exit from the
bridge. The officer replied threaten
ing the man with arrest and saying:
I'VE know what we have to do
The plunderers now proceeded from
street to street, the troops and police
following them and cutting off access
to the devastated Jewish houses. They
subsequently visited the Jewish quar-
ter called America" the Konnaya
square, the upper end of Roumainzov-
fare of the town, and the district call
ed Caucasus"
Houses and Shops Wrecked.
Altogether, nearly 400 houses and
shops were wholly or partially wreck
ed, the windows smashed, the blinds
and frames being splintered and every
scrap of furniture and effects, even the
Samovars, sewing machines, mirrors
and lamps destroyed or stolen.
The Jews who did not take refuge
with compassionate Christians or con-
ceal themselves in cellars, were severe
~ beaten and in many cases danger
ously wounded. Some young Jews, eX-
aSperatcd by the action of the police
ana troops, armed themselves with any
available weapons and tried to force
their way to the threatened houses.
Ont Jewess attempted to shoot nom
commissioned officer, and twenty-five
revolver shots were heard in the vi
entity of the bazaar but were appar-
emily fred in the air, as no one was
hurt
The police then undertook to dis
arm the Jewess. Forty building labor
SlS collected in the busiest part of Rou-
mainzovskaya street and stopped and
beat every passing Jew. The gang was
encouraged by Assistant Police Captain
Nalnolonsky and Rural Police Com
mander Vclenslty. The gang dubbed
DvIs heNSn TO death IN the presence
OF these officers and after the victim
mad been removed to the hospital the
atter continued an amicable converse
uon with tho murderers. none of whom
was arrested.
The Jews rallied in force at Kennaya
square at 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
When the military fired on them, kill
IH2 three and Wounding others. Pre-
sumaby on the Governors instructions,
lhe military employed their firearms
against the pogromshiks in the eau
lasus,' killing them. This action and
HShllall put an end to the pogrom
Riot Continued Next Day.
a few houses were pillaged Tues
Jay and Two more on Wednesday. after
winch no disorders occurred until Sept.
49, "hen a fruit gardener named Zav-
isNy' was barbarously slaughtered by
TmieFes The other Jews killed were
ii4iesky, murdered by peasants In the
mage Of Ner0uimo. five miles distant,
"""Ie ne had taken refuge with his
Eve. VINO has become insane, and IN
f''A~l Itself, DaVidov, Lelken and Eu-
's' dubbed 10 death by the military
zoe mob. and Kagansky ana Ober-
'i.'-' shot and bayonetted sXty-four
We're registered as wounded and
I'.Daply forty others left the city with
being registered.
me Christian dead numbered Eve
49, nom the troops shot three. Ten
liahs are recorded a. wounded
49,. ,e"lsh Committee claims 10 be