The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-20
MASSACRE NOT
OFFICIALS FAULT
Commission Sent to Bialystok
Says Government Did Not
Start Butchery.
Bomb Was Thrown Into Christian
Procession, but Blame Is
Not Fixed.

Grodno, Russia, June 20.-Owing to
the refusal Of the censor at Bialystok
to permit the free telegraphing Of the
result of the investigation of the mas
sacre of Jews there, the correspondent
Of the Associated Press came here.
now ended Troops are in full con-
troll, and it is certain the authorities
will not permit renewal of the hor-
rors recently witnessed at Bialystok.
This entire region is greatly excited
owing to fear that the Bialystok mas
sacre was only the signal for a gen.
eral attack on Jews in Poland; but If
any such conspiracy existed, it is too
late to carry out the plans, as the most
outbreaks have been issued to the gov
ernors and governor generals from st.
Petersburg.
In the rioting the Jews were hunted
down by ferocious pursneFs, who IN the
majority of cases were not content with
killing more victims, but tore them to
pieces like wild animals. While this
was in progress the troops either stood
! idly by, or, as was more frequently the
case, they fired into houses and shops
where Jews were concealed under the
pretext that they believed them to be
revolutionists, but really to make way
/
4 followed in the soldiers wake.
While it is impossible to give the
exact figures, the visits Of the CORE
/ spondent to the hospitals. and GENE
teries enables him to approximate the
killed at 100 Jews and twenty Chris
tions, and the wounded at 120 Jews anG
seven Christians.
Bomb Was Thrown.
The question Of the origin Of thu
massacre was carefully investigated
Altho many Of the Jews denied that {
bomb was thrown at the Corpus Christ
bomb was thrown is established beyond
a doubt, but who threw the bomb re
mains to- be settled.
The accounts of impartial witnesses
1 however, demonstrate that an insult
i ing cry .enraged the Jews, who attacked
the religious procession. Then, iron
one end of the city to the other, tn,
police spread the report of the attack
thus tanning the religious fanaticisn
of the Christians and setting loose tn,
\ worst elements upon the Jews, on whom
the crowds watching the procession
had already turned. The Jews at frs
with these weapons the majority of tn
Christian victims were killed. But tn
Jews were soon overwhelmed and file,
for shelter, like rabbits, to houses an
attics.
| Soldiers Watched Butchery.
| Soldiers watched this chase an
butchery, sometimes laughing with in
difference, but never failing to fir
into houses where Jews, sometimes t
the number of hundred, were max
ing a stand against their assailants
} The authorities, who wanted to d
something to stop the massacre were
with the police and troops, in ope
sympathy with the mob, utterly power
, less.
Altho it is freely charged that tn
higher authorities Of Bialystok delit
erately organized the massacre, or,
this was not the case, that it was cal
ried out under orders from st. Peter:
burg, there Is no evidence to supper
: either charge.
According to the Investigations 9
the parliamentary commission, who's
members were especially anxious t
elucidate this point, M. Schepkin O
Odessa, a member Of the commission
said:/ a
eve wished especially to bring HON
the responsibility to the government,
Continued on Cd Page, 5th Column.