Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1904-11-02
ANTI-JEWISH RIOTS
BEING INVESTIGATED
Trial In Russia Is Proceeding
With Open Doors.
LEWIS SH0IITEn uENHEAMNE
All the World is Watching the Out
come of This Trial-Over One Thou.
sand Witnesses Present-Jews Were
Thoroughly Organized.


Gomel, Russia, Nov. 1.-The trial
of the persons charged with being re-
sponsible for the anti-Jewish riots
here in September, 1903, is proceed
ing slowly and with open doors and is
attracting immense interest.
There are eleven defendants and SO
other persons who are under the same
charge are being held under bail. Nine
hundred and seventy-fve of the 1,101
witnesses are present.
The governments witnesses are at
tempting to prove that the disorder of
Sept. II, 1908, were in the nature of
anti-Christian riots and not of an anti
Jewish character. 1t is claimed that
the first riot was organized by Jews
to take vengeance for the Kishineff
affair, while the rioting two days after
was retaliation upon the Jews. The
government produced evidence to
prove that the Jews were thoroughly
organized and armed, and had pre-ar-
ranged signals and regular signals,
adopted a provocative attitude towards
the Christians and acted over-bearing-
ly, insulting peasants in the street and
jostling them out of the sidewalks.
The affair of Sept. IL, it is added
grew out of a trifing quarrel between
a Christian forester and a Jewess over
the purchase of a herring. The Jew
ess ran up and belabored the forester,
Some Christians from the bazaar hrr-
ried to the rescue of the forester,
the free fight became general, the
Jewish signal was given and the whole
Jewish population assembled, attack.
ing the Christians regardless Of sex or
age, girl being dragged along the
road by her hair. The peasants aban.
doned their goods in the bazaar and
fed. One of them was stabbed in
the neck and killed. The police and
a l1eutentnt and four soldiers tried
to restore order, but stones were show.
cred upon them, and they were fired
at from windows or neighboring
houses, the Jews shouting:
1--WE are going to be avenged"
This is not Kishineff!"
The police and soldiers finally es.
capped owing to the Interpolation of
a rabbi. Two days later some rail.
road workmen at the bridge, who had
announced that they intended to take
vengeance on the Jews came into the
town at noon. The police had been
was brought in and halted the work.
men at that bridge. The Jews as.
sembled behind the soldiers, the two
matchmaking each other, finally
hurting stones. Appeals of the police
chief to the rioters to. disperse were
In vain. At last a police was struck
by brick bat and the workmen shout.
ing: "The Jews have killed Police.
there were revolver shots from the
Jews whereupon the captain com
manding the soldiers placed his com.
pany between the opposing forces and
the workmen finally were dispersed
in the direction of the suburbs But
the Jews would not even listen to
rabbi who was present and the sol
diers finally charged them with bay.
onets and access to the wealthy Jew.
1sh quarter was closed
The total result of the rioting was
three non-commissioned officers, two
soldiers, two Jews and two Chris.
tians killed and four Christians and
four Jews wounded. A number ot
policemen were also killed or wound.
ed. About 250 houses and shops oI
Jews were pillaged.
The rioting continued all the after
noon and only ceased at nightfaIl.