The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-24
Military and Police Formed n Gordon
Behind Which the Mob Performed
Its Work of Devastation.
THIRD OF THE CITY WRECKED
MOST OF THE VICTIMS ARE POOR
AND LOST ALL THEY HAD.
Seven jews Killed and Sixty-FOur
wOunded-Some Casualties Among
the Members of the Mob.

GOMEL, Russia. Monday, Sept. 21.-The
Associated Press correspondent has made
an investigation on the spot of the pogrom
as the Russians describe the anti-Semite
riots, which occurred here on Sept IL, 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
"pogromshiks, as the Russians called
them. The troops, supported by many
educated and well-to-do Christians, formed
a movable Shield behind which the ''pog-
romshiks' ruthlessly demolished the Jew
ish homes and shops and cruelty dubbed
such Jews as fell into their hands, leisurely
proceeding from street to street and dis
trict to district as they did So
The commerce and industry of Gomel is
largely in the hands of the Jewish popula-
ten, numbering $4,000 Few of the residents
are wealthy, but none is pauper. The Jew
ish artisans incline to socialism.
The trouble began on Sept. IL, holiday,
''the day of the beheading of John the Bap-
tist," in wrangle in the fruit and fish
markets between moujiks (peasants) and
Jews The wrangIe ended in a free fight,
in which many were wounded. One moujik
succumbed to his injuries.
The moujiks demanded vengeance, and
employed the following days, Saturday and
Sunday, in infaming the anti-Semte ag-
tation, the leaders being an officer Pensky,
and rich merchant, Petrachenko. Every
body knew that ''pogram'' would occur on
Monday. and the Jews appealed for protec-
ton to Chief of Police Ravsky, who sum-
moned an infantry regiment from it's sum-
mer encampment. Thus there were 500
soldiers in the town. AT luncheon hour on
Monday the anti-Semite railway workmen,
to the number of several hundred, began an
organized attack on the Jewish houses in
Zamovkaya street, sacking them and de-
molishing or spelling the bulky articles by
soaking them with Kerosene.
Police Chief Ravsky had placed policemen
and troops on the street, but they acted as
though they were intended to protect the
pogrOmshiks from interference. Jews who
tried TO cross the lines to rescue their CO.
religiOniSts were brutally dubbed by the
soldiers with guns, bayoneted or arrested.
Meanwhile recruits for the pogromshiks
poured steadily over the bridge leading from
the railway workshops.
bystander begged the commander OF
the gendarmerie TO send troops to guard the
exit from the bridge. The officer replied
threatening the man with arrest and say
ing: I'VE know what we have to do.
The plunderers proceeded from street to
street, the troops and police following them
and cutting Oft access 10 the Jewish houses
They subsequently visited the Jewish quar-
ter. called America then Konnaya
square, the upper end of RoumianZovskaya
street, the principal thoroughfare of the
town, and the quarter called Caucasus
Altogether nearly 400 houses and shops
were wholly or partly wrecked, the windows
smashed, the blinds and frames being
splntered and every scrap of furniture and
effects, even the samovars, sewing ma
chimes, mirrors and lamps destroyed OF
stolen.
Those Jews who did not take refuge with
compassionate Christians or conceal them
selves in cellars were severely beaten and
| in many cases dangerously wounded. Some
| young Jews, exasperated by the action OF
the police and the troops armed themselves
with any available weapons and tried tC
| force their way to the threatened houses
| One Jewess attempted to shoot a noncom
missioned officer and twenty-five revolver
shots were heard in the vicinity of the
Bazaar, but were apparently fired in the
! air, as no one was hurt.
The police then undertook to disarm the
| Jews. Forty building laborers collected
| in the busiest part of Roumianianzovskaya
| street and stopped and beat every passing
! Jew. This gang was encouraged by As
sistant Police Captain Charnolonsky and
Rural Police Commander Yelensky. The
gang dubbed Berg Kevesh to death in the
/ presence Of these officers After the victim
had been removed to hospital, the officers
continued an amicable conversation with
the murderers. none of whom was arrested
| The Jews rallied I'm force i'm Konnaya
| Square at o'clock in the afternoon, wher
| the military fired on them, killing three
| and wOunding others.
Presumably the Governors instruc
tons, the military employed their fire arms
| against the Pogromshiks in the Caucasus
killing three
| Four hundred peasants arrived in Come
early the following day, Tuesday but were
| easily driven away by the military. few
houses were pillaged that day and two more
! on Wednesday. after which no disorders
occurred until Sept IS. when a fruit gard
ener, Zevagelsky, was killed by thieves
| The other Jews killed were Piatelski muir
dered by peasants in the village o.
Veroumo. five miles distant, where he hat
taken refuge with his wife, who has be-
come insane, and in GomelitZef, Davido,
Leikin and Elpern, dubbed to death b,
the military or the mob, and Kagansky anC
Oberman shot and bayonetted. Sixty-foul
Jews were registered as wounded and prob
| ably forty others were not registered.
During the week following the riots al
| the trains leaving the city were crowded
with Jewish families. The Christian deat
number five, of whom the troops shot three
| Ten Christians are recorded as wounded.
The Jewish committee says ii is able Il
\ identify ninety-fve pogromShikS, but only
| about twenty-five Christians have been ar
rested. including one telegraph official Nor.
| than fifty Jews We're arrested for carrying
| weapons or conspiring against the police
|
WILKIE ON THE CASE.