Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-25
RUSSIAN JEWISH RIOTS
MOB WAS AIDED IN ITS WORK BY
POLICE AND MILITARY.
Sacking Of Gomel and Brutal Treat
ment Of opponents-Houses Burn
ed and Murder Done.

The following account of the recent trou-
bles in Russia has been received from
Gomel, government OF Mohileff: The AS
ISOLATED Press correspondent has made
an investigation on the spot of the
''pogrom," as the Russians describe the
anti-Semite riots which occurred here on
September 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 call them.
The troops, supported by many educated
and well-to-do Christians, formed a NOV
able shield behind which the ''pogrom-
Sinks ruthlessly demolished the Jewish
homes and shops and cruelty dubbed such
Jews as fell into their hands, leisurely pro-
ceeding from street to street and district
to district as they did so.
The commerce and industry of Gomel.
which are considerable, are largely in the
hands of the Jewish population, numbering
26,OoO. Few of the residents are wealthy,
but none are paupers. The Jewish artisans
Incline to socialism. The trouble began on
September IL, holiday (the day of the be-
heading of John the BaptisD, in wrangle
in the fruit and fish markets between moujiks
peasants) and Jews. The wrangle ended
in free fight, in which many were wound
ed, one moujik succumbing to his injuries.
The moujikS demanded vengeance, and en-
ployed the following days, Saturday and
Sunday In infaming the anti-Semitic agi-
tation, the leaders being an officer named
Pensky and rich merchant named
Petrachenko
Appeal to Police.
Everybody knew that a pogrom would
occur on Monday and the Jews appealed
for protection to Chief of Police Ravsky,
who summoned an infantry regiment from
it's summer encampment. Thus there were
1000 soldiers in the town. At luncheon
hour on Monday the anti-Semitic railway
workmen, to the number of some hundreds,
began an organized attack on the Jewish
houses in Zamovkaya street, sacking them
and demOlishing or spelling the bulky
articles by soaking them with kerosene.
Police Chief Ravsky had placed police and
troops on the Zamovkaya, 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 -brutally dubbed with
the soldiers guns, bayoneted or arrested!
Meanwhile, recruits for the pogromshiks
poured steadily over the bridge. leading
from the railway workshops. A 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 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 devas-
tated Jewish shouses. They subsequently
visited the Jewish quarter called Amer
ica," then konnaya Square the upper end
OF Roumianzovskaya street, the principal
thoroughfare of the town, and the district
called Caucasus" Altogether nearly 400
houses and shops were wholly or partially
wrecked, the windows being smashed, the
blinds and frames being splintered and
every SCRAP OF furniture and offacfs
the samovars, sewing machines, mirrors
and lamps being destroyed or stolen The
Jews who did not take refuge with COM
passionate Christians or conceal themselves
in cellars were severely beaten and in many
cases dangerously wounded Some young
Jews, exasperated by the action Of the
police and troops. armed themselves with
any available weapons and tried to force
their way to the threatened houses One
Jewess attempted to shoot a non-commis-
stoned officer, and twenty-five revolver
shots were heard In the vicinity Of the ba-
zaar, but were apparently fired in the air,
as no one was hurt