The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-10-07
THE GOMEZ MASSACRE
Details Of the Attack on Jews
In Northwest Russia.
THEIR COURAGE WAS ASTONISHING

Even the Women Fought-Part OF
the Time the Jews Were Assaulted
by Both Soldiers ana Mob-whOIe-
sale Executions May Follow RE-
sistance to the Soldiers.
The Jewish Morning Journal Of New
York recently printed the following let
ter about the Gomel massacre Of Jews
In northwest Russia from Its special
correspondent at Warsaw:
1T all began on Friday Sept. ID
with a quarrel between a Jewish shop
keeper and a Christian woman who r.
fused to pay for herring. The attack
on the Jews was renewed on Sept. IA.
1t soon transpired that the riot Of Fir
day was only a kind Of rehearsal for
the real 'pogrom, which took place on
the 14th and 18th. Now, the streets
OF Gomel were drenched with blood,
and the rioters this time were not peas
ants, but the strongly built little Rus
sian railroad laborers, 500 in number.
The Jews defended themselves as val
iantly as on Friday, with whatever
weapons they could get hold Of The
police worked earnestly and diligently
TO quell the disorder, but were power
less against the savage mob In ordi-
nary times there are plenty of soldiers
in Gomez, but at this time Of the year
they were still in their summer camps
and could not reach the town the first
day Of the riot.
'gThe Jews telegraphed to the gov
ernor Of Mohilev for assistance and re-
ceived a reply that be was indisposed
and could not start for Gomel on that
day, but he requested the chief of po-
lice to aid the Jews. The chief carried
out the order faithfully. and he him
self shot to death two Russians, but be
was powerless to restore order. Five
Jews were killed the first day, and but
for the gallant fight put up by the
Jews the number Of killed would be
much larger. The strength and cour-
age displayed by these people. who are
generally tainted for cowafdice, were
something astonishing. Even women
fought. The physical agility and the
correctness Of their aim were not at
all those OF q race of cringlng peddlers.
'grhe riot became worse on the 18th,
but the Jews still stood their ground.
The governor arrived that day. The
peasants from the surrounding country
began to gather on receipt Of the news
that the Jews were being robbed at
Gomel, and many came with the in
tention Of revenging Fridays defeat
The Jews We're prepared and had arm
ed men stationed on all the roads lead
ing into Gomel
1.-THE soldiers arrived in the fore
noon, and their first act to restore order
was an attempt to disperse the Jews
The latter replied that they could not
trust their lives to the soldiers for fear
Of a repetition Of the Kishineff atroci-
ties They insisted that the attacking
rioters should be dispersed first. The
soldiers insisted and fired on the Jews
The latter returned the fire, and they
were soon attacked from both sides
that is, by the soldiers and by the riot
ers.
"In the meantime the news Of the
riot reached Minsk, and fifty well arm
ed young Jews from that city FASTENED
to the rescue Of their distressed breth
rem in Gomel. But they were betrayed
by an agent provoeateur, or government
spy, who was among them and were
arrested on their arrival at the railroad
depot of Gomel