Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-16
They Kicked and Beat Me- He
Says; "They Were Anxious for
Me to Die, but ! Felt That !
Was Suffering for All Jews"
Pathetic Scene as Former Prjs-
oner, Guarded by Soldiers,
Comes Home to His Wife and
ChiIdren-Death Threats Made
BY W. ORION TEWSON.
staff Correspondent Sunday Ameri-
can.


Special Csb'e 10 The American.
KIEf|, Nov 1a.-Al $50 o'ciotl
ia The morning a big numbering Rus
sian prison van pulled up outside a
small one story frame house situated
on Il lonely road two miles ont OF
Sien Two soldiers. sitting best lc
he driver, jumped down and un-
locked the door the wagon A
half dozen other soldiers cldmocred
out, followed by mIddle-aged msa
~ medium height. whose STOPPING
shoulders and p I'd appearance be
tokPued poor health
Smiling the morning air. which bad
q nip OF the ssian winter in IT,
The man turn in tIe direction 81
he house in which the two tiny
windows were brilliantly n"h.cd Ivy
oil lamps and numerous candles.
At the windows Wer. several ii, le
faces with noses pressed hard
against the panes The owners ~
those faces We're the five Belts chill
iren. and the man outside was Men
del Bells, their father home ageu
after two and a half years expert
-nce Of the horrors Of Russian
prison.
Troops Guard tho House.
) The children eNcitedly rushed 10
Che door, Where Mrs BELLS had pre-
ccded them but before the husband
and wife could meet B ellis was sur.
rounded by a squad Of reporters, VINO
had kept an ail-night vigil in anticl-
patton Of his release Fortunately,
soldiers came to the mans rescue.
and the reunited family passed n,h
The house. The last view OF them
showed the husband and wife sup
porting each other. with the chh-
dren clnging around the father, while
all wept tears of JOY.
Later in the day The SUNDAY
Americans correspondent called ON
Bells in his home and had talk
with the man of whom the whole
world has been talking
The house is surrounded by sol
diers, partly on account OF threats Of
he Black Hundred to kin Belts and
partly because he Is not altogether
clear or danger vet as the prosecutor
hs fourteen DAYS in which 10 appeal
from the verdict, In which case Belts
tlli w rear tclFAs bIi ! ne A1tltIi-
can is able 10 say ca excellent an
fho~ity chat no such appeal viii be-
taken.
Beaten and Kicked in Prison.
Three tidy rooms were packed
with friends and relatives who came
10 offer their concentrations Belts
looked much the same as he did u
The dock, except that ne had trimmed
his beard and wore different clothing
He was in a highly nervous state and
was suffering from exhaustion.
Despite the JOY Of being free and
his home coming. his face bore ,le
unmistallable seal OF sadness as g
result of his suffering,
MY TWO ana half years of dread
ful life in prison left me very weak. "
he said, but now that | am free
and can get some good food. / feel
sure | will soon be Wen again
II do not like to speak about my
life In prison, I was treated most
abomlnably. They used to kick and
heat me and We're anxious for me "a
die
Suffered for the Jews"
Il am wondering now how stood
il all. but there was one thought
which helped me: | knew my suffer
ings were the sufferines of the Jews
and this made it easier TO bear.
knew | had TO live in order to prove
my innocence.
Il am very weak and ! feel am
not the same man | was"
Bells said that while the verdict
was being given he was in a daze and
ii6nt realize until SOME time after
that he had been acquitted,
As to his future plans he is undo
cided, except that he will leave Rus
sla at the earliest possible moment
in view of the threats Of revenge
made against him.
II must get well first" he added
Sitting on the same bench for a
days under such strain, to say
nothing OF two and half years n
prison, has made me very weak
An air OF tranquility pervades the
city owing to the determined action
Of the Government in providing
against disturbances