New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-19
RITUAL MURDER" CRY
CAUSES FEAR OF OUTBREAK
Threatened Massacre of Jews at
Kiev Followed Finding
of Boys Body.
NO JEW WAS IMPLICATED
American Jewish Committee
Fears Agitation May Lead to
Repetition of Kishineff Mas
sacres-Similar Cases.

:, Petersburg. May 1S.-The serious
.,,pstion which has arisen through the
threatened massacre of Jews at hieN
following the finding Of the BODY OF
-. under such circumstances as TO SUR
-, The cry of a ritual murder, mas
o-oused the authorities in their endeav-
ors 10 solve the mystery OF the pooy
death. and in the mean time even 'he
.r,i-Jevish newspapers admit that the
,snorts on which the agitation Is based
.-e for the most part not worthy or
credence.
IN an interview to-day NJ. Sliosbers' a
r.,rish lawyer, exhaustively reviewed
.,e history OF the question Of rituallstlc
murder as contained in the records OF
che courts Of Russia and abroad. He
.oid that hardly a year passes without
. revival OF the old myth about the
star time in connection with the tenn
norarv disappearance Of a boy or girl
~ IN connection with some untraced
,,u,der. The ignorant among the popu-
,,,,or become excited and their excite
,,s,, lasts until the case Is cleared up.
II the majority OF cases It was shown
.,s, no murder had been committed. ana
=, ,hs other cases the murder was traced
- ,he culpable agents. and IT was proved
,,s, Jews had no connection whatever
-,., these cases. only two cases or
,u.s.a ritual murder in the last forty
vssrs said Mr.. Sliosberg. warranted an
,,ves,tgation by the courts and IN ootn
Eases the verdict was acquittal Tor the
sdherents Of the Sewish faith who had
been placed under arrest.
Trials and Acauittals.
tn. first Of these cases was tried at
yu,sis Transcaucasia. in 1879, and the
ether q, wilma. in 1902 In the kutais
cass the court acquitted the defendants
~ N. murder Of a girl on that occa-
sion experts. such as Professor Khvol-
son. stated that there could be no aues-
ton of the existence Of sect of zealots
70 whom ritualistlc murders may be
sscribed. But for long time after the
conclusion Of this case the accusation
against the Jews was not renewed, be-
cause the whole subject had been thor
ourhly thrashed out and condemned by
the court and public opinion.
The wilma AFFAIR had 10 do with the
alleged attempt 70 murder a domestic
servant woman A barber was accused
Of trying 70 cut her throat, but the wom-
ar vas rescued by persons who heard
her screaming There was a scratch on
the woman's throat. and at the court in
v.stigation government medical author
tiles testified that it could have been in
hicted by herself or by others, and was
probably for the purpose Of Stimulating
attempted murder The jury acquitted
The accused.
Nc Jew Was implicated.
VI siosberg said that in the present
case. the killing Of the boy Yushchinsky'
no information was available. The in
vestigation. he declared, had yielded no
results, or the results were not ready Tor
publication. All that could be said. he
continued was that no Jew had yet been
arrested or was implicated In this affair
II was suspected when the body OF
Yushchinsky was found in cave close
10 a Jewish quarter that the Jewish sect
Hassides, who are alleged 70 forbid the
burial OF ritualistic victims, may have
had some knowledge OF the case. With
respect 20 the Hassides, NJ. SliOsberg
said that the Jews Of Russia are divided
into two classes-the Hassides meaning
Pious, and the Misnakdim, meaning OPP
ponents. The TWO exist side by side
The use of blood is equally abhorrent 70
both denominations.
The American Jewish Committee. when
asked fer It's views respecting the recent
Sspaiches from kiev authorized the FOL
""lng statement
he committee is satisfied that only
sne DuDnclty can avert d recurrence OF
ths horrible massacres which took place
tween 1903 and 1876. and especially at
nAishnef, odessa and BalystOk, when
thousands OF Jews were foully massacred
ana millions OF property destroyed.
me monStrous and Infamous stories re
..thty sent out by the Russian government
rom 81 Petersburg. KleV and MOSCOW,
f~DlASl4cN IN AMERICAN ntNSpdpr AN
1pecthg the alleged murder OF a boy a.
heV, are precisely similar 20 me unfounu-
20 tales circulated by the Russian govern
nptt previous 10 the kishinen, odessa ano
biay stok mssSacres
Investigation shows that the stories which
lave been sent out 20 American newspapers
are founded upon baseless calumnies that
appeared several weeks ago IN the wen
Known anu-Semitic and resctiOnary organs.
Husssoye Znamya." "Kolokol.' 'Semsch-
una and especially in the foremost organ
of the reaCtiOnaries the "NOvOe Nremya,
which, as is well known. H. the mOuthpiece
burg
The political situation in Russia at teh
pesent time. due 70 the recent reactionary
victory OF the Car end his Prime Minister
i. S'oypin, is one OF intense excitement. Inc
HaS!an government has always resorted 70
Massacres Of Jews whenever the political
situation was one of great tenseness, and
aas repeatedly utilized this method 10
provide an outlet for the pent up feelings
o' her excited populace. The government.
the Administrative officials, has always in
sngated and directed the massacres at
such tines
Ihere Is a similar condition al the present
moment. and unless the widest publicity Is
gwen 10 the villanies which the Russian
government never hesitates 20 perpetrate
N order 10 serve her own purposes, the
word IS likely 10 see a repetition a. any
me OF the indescribably horrible scenes,
"nich are. for the present held IN apey
Snce by the Russian government Inc
n1ssian government always has controlled
TIE situation absolutely.
AID FOR ST. VINCeNT's HOSPITAL.
The annual bazaar in aid OF the destitute