Evening journal., 1913-11-10
Bells Acquitted of Blood
Ritual Murder Charge, Troops
Protect Him From Harm
BY the United Press.

By the United Press.
KIEFF, Nov l0-Amid scenes Of un-
PARALLEL excitement, Mendel Bells, the
Jew, was acquitted tonight Of the blood
ritual murder of Andrew YushinslSy. the
l3-year-old Christian boy, who was
ylain in March, 1911.
Troops, with fixed bayonets, guarded
The courthouse and mounted CoSsacks
with drawn sabres patrolled the streets
10 prevent anti-Semitic outbreaks. The
authorities were prepared to take every
precaution TO prevent a pogrom.
When the verdict was announced. a
roar Of protest went up from the crowd
that jammed the little courtroom which
was quickly taken up by the throng
that surrounded the courthouse.
Bells halt faintting from fear and
excitement, broke down completely
when he heard the verdict that made
him a free man after almost three years
He uttered a cry Of thankfulness and,
then began to weep His counsel sup
ported him on either side and armed
soldiers escorted the Jew to his home,
where his anxious wife and little ones
Here waiting to welcome him.
A mob followed the soldiers with Bell
IA, and congregated before his home. but
.he authorities promised the jew every
protection.
1t was believed that BELLS. accom-
panied by NJ. Grousenberg, his chief
counsel, would lose no time in star
ting for America.
Bells, a Jew, was accused of the
murder Of Andrew Yushinsky,
Christian boy, for ritualistic purposes
The gravest disorder was feared,
and the authorities we're prepared to
lake extreme measures to prevent a
pogrom.
Mendel Bells was placed on trial
October s. and the hearing continued
without intermission until the case
was placed in the hands Of the jury
today. Court sat every Sunday, and
On most days the sessions lasted until
Tar into the night
Several hundred witnesses were
eNapined, and the testimony was very
tedious. Few OF the witnesses knew
anything about Bells ana on several
days counsel for the defense got into
TIE record thai Tie name Of Bells was
not mentioned
Andrew lushinsky 13 years old, of
Christian parentage, Was found mur-
1ered In March 1911 His body was
discovered in a cave. There we're
II snail wounds on the body appar-
entity made with an awl Several Of
hem were in the temple Death ap-
parently had been produced by a knife
wound in the heart and physicians
believed that the awi wounds we're in
ffioted before the death wound Ex-
animation showed that the body had
been drained of blood
Immediately there was hue and
cry and the Black Hundred charged
that Yushinsky was the victim of
Jewish blood ritual. Persons we're
found to swear that they last saw
the boy at play near the brickyard
where Mendel Bells was employed.
The Jew was arrested, indicted for
murder and kept in prison for more
than two years, before be was finally
brought to trial
Most Of the testimony for the prose-
cutson pointed to Vera Cheberyak, a
notorious woman OF the Deighborhood
who frequently had been arrested.
Several Witnesses pointed accusing
( fingers at tho woman and swcre she
killed the boy or knew who killed
him
Eugene Cherberyak, child Of Vera. was
f-"- Nif'NN u 4 hrAiHnhN anu WIS lit
last person TO see him alive Eugene
and his little brother Valentine died
mysteriously after the arrest of BELLS
With his dying breath, Eugene refused
TO eyonerate his mother. A Cherberyak
gif only remaining child, swore that
she saw Mendel and two strange jew.
dragging Andrew away on the day he
was killed and then repudiated her tes
timony
Witnesses swore that Vera Cherber
yak was the leader of gang of thieves
who killed Yushinsky and then after
ward the two Cherberyak children be
cause they knew too much of the gangl
doings.
The greater part of the testimony il
the case was devoted to a discussion o
ritual murder whether or not it existed
Some experts declared it was an estab
lshed fact, while equally expert wit
nesses swore that it was a myth tina
never had been substantiated in a singh
instance