The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-01
JEWISH RIOTERS
IN RUSS COURT
Government Trying to Prove
Gomel Outbreak Was Anti
Christian in Character.

Gomel. Russia, Nov 1.-The trial Of
persons charged with being responsible
for the anti-J ewish riots here in Sep
TENDER. 1908, is proceeding slowly and
with open doors and is attracting I'M
interest There are aehe eleven de-
who are under the same charge are be-
ing held under bail. Nine hundred and
seventy-five OF the Idol witnesses are
present. .., ~. e-.,-.. s- H. 5s
The government s witnesses are at
e taa II thG hs natqa of
anti Christian riots and not of an anti
Jewish character. It is claimed that
the first riot was organized by Jews to
take vengeance for the Kishinef affair.
while the rioting two days after was
retaliation upon the Jews.
The government produced evidence to
prove that the Jews were thoroly or
ganized and armed, and had pre-ar-
ranged signals, regular leaders; adopted
a provocative attitude towards tho
Christians and acted overbearingly, in
sulting peasants in the streets and iost.
ling them off the sidewalks.
Grew Out of Trife. 49,. 49,.
The affair Of Sept. II, it is said, grew
out Of trifing quarrel between a
Christian forester and Jewess over the
purchase of herring. The Jewess spat
in the forester face, fight followed.
and the Jews ran up and belabored the
forester.
Some Christians from the bazaar bur-
ried to the rescue of the forester, tho
free fight then became general, the
Jewish signal was given and the whole
Jewish population assembled, attacking
the Christians regardless of sex or age,
her hair. The peasants abandoned
their goods in the bazaar and fed. One
of them was stabbed in the neck and
killed. The police and a lieutenant and
four soldiers tried to restore order, but
stones were showered upon them. and
they, were fred at from windows OF
neighboring houses, the Jews shouting
"We are going to be avenged, this IL
not Kishinef.''
The police and soldiers finally escaped
owing to the interpretation of q rabbi.
Vengeance on Jews.
/ Two days later some railroad work
men who had announced that they IN
tended to take vengeance on the Jews
came into the town at noon. The polsce
had been warned and company Of sol
diers was brought in and halted the
wcrkmen at the bridge. The Jews as
sembled behind the soldiers, the twt
sides matchmaking each other, finally
hurting stones: Appeals of the police
chief to the rioters to dispense were il
vain.
At last policeman was struck by {
brick and the ,workmen, shouting '"Tht
Jews have killed a policeman surget
across the bridge. Then there were
revolver shots from the Jews, whereupo1
the captain commanding the soldiers
placed his company between the oppos
ing forces and the Workmen finally
were dispersed in the direction of thu
suburbs. But the Jews would not ever
listen to a rabbi who was present ant
the soldiers finally charged them witt
bayonets and access to the wealth,
Jewish quarter was closed. nc
Jews Are Accused.
In the meantime the workmen wer
reassembling on the outskirts of tn
town and began pillaging, and de
tachment of soldiers was continually en-
q gagged in dispensing them, while tn
Jews elsewhere were attacking ever,
Christian they could find. | '-~
The first volley fred by the soldier
was in the quarter known as HAmeri
ca,'' where two workmen were killed
In all, the troops fired three volleys
killing two more wOrkmen and one Jew
The total result Of the rioting wa
three non-commissioned officers, tw
soldiers, two Jews and two Christian
killed, and four Christians and fou
Jews wounded. A number of police
men were also killed or wounded, abou
$50 houses and shops of Jews were pi
LACED. The rioting continued all tn
afternoon and only ceased at nightfal