The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-17
Persecution in Russia.

EdltOr OIL Inc 3I1meS-D lSpatcn.
sir,-Once more Batholomewan Eve,
but not In France. This time 1t was In Kis-
hencff. In the province OF Bassarabia,
the extreme southwest of Russia. This
time II is In the twentieth century. when
civilization is said to be In It's full bloom.
The victims were Jews; their crime, they
were Jews: their punishment. slaughter,
destruction OF property and wholesale
burning OF Jewish dwellings,, as we'll as
business houses.
This prejudice has existed In Russia
for scores OF years. The enraged Slnv,
Ike the full-blooded Indian when under
the Influence Of liquor. forgcts the exist
encc OF such thing as principle or lovo
for fcllow-man, and like the ezra ged
savage he burns kills and destroys the
persons and property of people whom he
inwardly realizes to be morally his SUI
periors At the bottoms. It is n case
either OF envy or expression Of lndigr1-
ton against the Russian civil aud mill
tary authorities, who burden Their sub
jects with enormous taxation.
The Jews OF Russia are physically
weaker than any other element; the
semi-savage Russian, when oppression
reaches its climax. must avengc himself
on some one. and the victims are usually
the weakest class.
1t was on Easter Sunday last that an
Infatuated mob had assembled on the
!
ually played on that day Some inof-
fensive Jew mingled with the crowd,
whereupon one OF them, in drunken
state. OF course, shouted: Here Is the
Christ-ktlleri" Immediately he was sup
ported by good many others who took
UP the cry, and all the Jews on the Mar
ket Place at the time were left to the
mercy Of drunken mob The total de-
struction OF the Jewish settlement and
the Staying Of all the Jews was then
suggested. Noble suggestion a few anti
semites. of whom Russia lis prolific, added
fuel to the flames by cries calculated to
still further excite the already maddened
mob.
This was more than sufficient to cause
the common, ignorant and uncomfortable
rabbe to cast of all restrain. Every
thing which looked Jewish was merct-
lcssly destroyed. Men, women, and even
children. were not spared by the beast
ly, drunken horde OF ruflians, and tho
murder and pillage went on for days
without the interference, indeed, with the
connlvance, OF the constituted authorities.
The latest figures show TINT over one
hundred were killed, three hundred are
on the verge of death In various hospitals
and more than thousand families left
to the mercy of charity.
In response to the crying appeals sent
by Russian Jews to all their co-region-
lists OF the civilized world. relief commit
tees have been quickly organized. and
money for the purpose is pouring In from
the United States alone at the rate of
81, 500 per day. Every village In the
Union. even where there arc but few
Jewish families, are sending In their
liberal donations. This appeal has reached
the Richmond Jewish community, and
liberal contributions are coming In very
rapidly. Money to relieve the sufferers
Is an important factor In this case
All those desiring TO send in contri-
buttons may do so, either to Rev y. n.
Calisch or Ralph Levy. Of Jacobs & Levy,
70s East Broad Street