The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-09-08
THE BIALYSTOK MASSACRE.
WHAT A RUSSIAN CITY WENT
THROUGH LAST MONTH.


From Townspeopie-6O Are Killed.
From Bialystok, a big cloth manufactur-
ing town In the Government OF Grodno,
Russia, comes q letter describing the mas
eacre that occurred there on Aug. IL. The
letter Is pcstmarked few days later than
the date from one OF the first German
railroad stations beyond the Russian Dor
der Bialystok is in the old Lithuanian
| territory that went to Russia with Poland.
1t had more than 10000 inhabitants by the
census Of 1907 and contains many Jews. A
| translation Of the letter follows:
BIALYsroK, Aug. II.
While the Russian Empire and foreign
countries were awaiting anxiously tho
decree Of grace which tho autocrat In
Petersburg would grant to his people
on the first anniversary Of the birth
Of his heir our paternal Government sur
prised US with horror which not only
is worthy of the shameful deeds at Peters,
burg, Baku, Warsaw, Odessa and Lodz, but
even surpssses these in cruelty and
cynicism.
| In the massacres at Kishineff and Hamel,
at Shitomr and Baku, at Tihis and Sim
feropol, which were provoked by the police,
that body tried to shirk the frightful respon-
sibility by ascribing the cause to the dis
sensions OF race; but on Aug. ~ the police.
the minor officials connected with 1t and
the officers, in short all that we curse here
under the name bureaucracy have torn
, of the fgleaf from their shame and shown
in it's full nakedness 80 dreadful picture
, of truly bestial hatred against the whole
people and of unquenchable vindictiveness
that we, Mortified and dismayed, can only
ask ourselves, What now?"
For months past the police had tried to
stir up the Christian workmen against their
Jewish comrades. 1t promised to aid
them in all their economic demands II they
would separate from the Jews and act
in concert with the tscherndyo Sotnid, the
black band, whose object is to exterminate
all the intelligence Of the country. We
have here. however, a model class OF work.
ingmen, we'll organized and disciplined,
which gave the Holy Hermandad the proud
answer: I'VE forbid your arranging per-
solutions Of the Jews in our name We will
protect them with our bodies and turn
like single man against you and your
mercenaries.
The police explained its underhand pro-
cceumgs to the military authorities OF the
garrison here and was strongly supported
by the officers. The soldiers were told that
| tine whole town had conspired against them,
that they would be cut down in the open
| streets; single soldiers we're allowed TO leave
! the barracks and camps with loaded rihes
and amply provided with cartridges. Inc
! soldiers, supposed to be intended as a pro-
lection to the people against the anarchists.
became its greatest terror. All hearts
were heavy. We felt that a catastrophe
| impeuced; II was perceptible, but now here
could we turn TOR help and protection.
last on Aug. ~. without provocation on the
part of the people, with no reason or sense
An armed soldier picked quarrel with
a workman in the. Suraser street, the main
! street Of the laboring quarter, and wounded
him mortally,. When the DYING man had had
their way in, killed four persons and scat
tered. Then bomb exploded, wounding
eight workrnen and two soldiers. " no
| threw the bomb? The workmen swear that
the crime was committed by police spy.
| The soldiers rush ike wild beasts into the
most frequented streets and shoot every
thing in sight; they shoot down the streets
| into windows, at closed houses, through
sex. One soldier ran like a madman
through the main street; he fired his rife,
then aimed at the entrance Of a crowded
house. laughed but did not fire; he repeated
his joke before another house. At third
I house. the former editor Of a newspaper
money of the Red Cross and was handed
over to the Russian officials in Hamburg.
but who is now persona gratissima to the
| police and the unworthy head OF the nobility.
into the house. which was filled with lin
tellectuals,' The soldier fired, killed a
servant girl, severely wounded young
merchant, then FASTENED on madly and
killed some more people; then. In the best
| ~ nj mad v.yith eWaN I p11o6l
have cleaned out at least ten jews
A police official with some soldiers pushed
his way into a dentists office, the reoep-
ton room full Of patients. chiefly women;
I, cried out to the terrified women: "You
whole mob of Jews should be rooted up, :
but withdrew with the soldiers without
shooting. A woman who followed him
down the stairs was cut down.
man and Soldier She turned around
and addressed the policeman. with whom
she was acquainted; Spare my life, you
know that am not a revolutionist. Move
on, know. you answered the policeman;
she turned her back than she was shot
down, at the policeman's stigation,, The
| bloodhounds ragged chiefly against old men,
women and children, who constitute the
majority Of the. victims. This slau ghter
| Of the innocents lasted from In the after
noon until after midnight.
| Yet these ignorant peasants cons, who
were prodded into becoming wild beasts,
are compassionate in comparison with the
officers who gave the order for the blood
shed. When the shooting and the number
| of dead and wounded increased, the doctors
| of the city fastened at the risk OF their lives
wherever duty called them. By order OF
| the officers they were prevented from aiding
! the wounded and were told they would be
shot II they appeared In the streets. They
protested, begged cried out, all to no pur-
p,se. The soldiers showed their bayonets
and the officers declared that the Jews would
get along without medical assistance.
| Thus the sick and wounded remained eight
| cen hours. withou ut bandages or medicine
! or medical advice. This explains the
extraordinary number Of deaths, which is
increasing out of all proportions. So far
there are sixty dead and more than 100
| wcurded
What will come Of all this? Who will
save our unfortunate city. General Of
Division Bokajewski, a worthless creature.
whose name deserves to stand on the pillar
| Of shame of history with that Of Alva, still
| has the say about the life and death Of the
inhabi' ants. The fate OF more than 80 900 men
is in the hands Of the person who replied to
the unfortunate citizens that went to him
after the massacre to pie ad for protection
arainst the soldiery: II will extermipate
all Of you Jews" the criminal who suddenly