The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-10-01
ANrI.sEMlrE RIOT AT GoMEL.
The Police and rlilitHry Openly Sided
With the Murderers.

The Associated Press correspondent
has made an investigation on the spot
of the "Pogrom," as the Russians de-
scribed the anti-Semite riots. which oc-
cured here September II, and were re-
newed for several days. The riots were
smaller. but perhaps more remarkable
than those which took place at kis-
chineff, because the police and military
openly sided with the plunderers and
murderers, the "Pogromshiks." as the
Russians called them. The troops, sup
ported by many educated and we!l-to-
dc Christians, formed movable
shield behind which the "Pogromshiks"
ruthlesSly demolished the Jewish
homes and shops and cruelty 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 Co.
mel, which is considerable, is largely
in the hands Of the Jewish pculation,
numbering $4,000. Few Of the residents
are wealthy. but none are paupers. The
Jewish artisans incline to socialism.
The trouble began September II, a
holiday (the day Of the beheading OF
John the Baptist) in wrangle in the
fruit and fish markets between Moujiks
(peasants) and Jews. The wrangle end
&C. in a free fight in which many were
wounded, one Moujik succumbing to
his injuries.
The Moujike demanded vengeance
and employed the following days in in
flaming the anti-Semite agitations, the
leaders being an officer named Pensky
and a rich merchant named Petrachen-
ko. Everybody knew that "Pogrom'
would occur on Monday and the Jews
appealed for protection to Chief OF
Police Ravasky, who summoned an in
fantry regiment from its summer; en-
campment Thus there were 1,6OO SOL
diers in the town. At luncheon hour
Oh Monday the anti-Semit railway
workmen to the number Of some hun
dreds began an organized attack on the
Jewish houses in Seamovkaya street.
sacking them and demolishing or spoil
ing the bulky articles by soaking them
with kerosene. Police Chief Ravasky
had placed police and troops on the
Zamovaya. but they acted as though
they were intended to protect the
"Pogromshiks" from interference.
Jews who tried to cross their lines to
rescue their co-religionists were bru-
tally clubbed with the soldiers guns,
bayonetted or arrested. Meanwhile, re-
cruits for the "Pogromshiks" poured
steadily over the bridge leading from
the railway workshops. A bystander
begged the commander 70 send troops
to guard the exit from the bridge. The
officer replied threatening 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 of access
to the devastated Jewish houses. They
subsequently visited the Jewish quar-
ter called America" the Konnaya
square. the upper end of Roumanizou-
vskaya street, the principal thorough
fare of the town, and the district called
Caucasus"
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
ard lamps destroyed or stolen. The
Jews who did not take refuge with
compassionate Christians or conceal
themselves in cellars, were severely
beaten and in many cases dangerously
wounded. Some young Jews exasper-
ated by the action Of the police and
troops armed thmeselves with any
available weapons and tried to force
their way to the threatened houses.