Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-15
nde Beiss Own Story of His Life and Russia

several days to read it to me. Then for the
first time heard the words "Zadik," "Chasid,"
and Ritual"
AS time went on myN treatment became no
better. Sometimes l used to feel as though 1
could not endure imprisonment and the rough
treatment any longer, and that / must die
before the trial came on. But God kept me up,
and when ] was most depressed my comfort
was to think of my wife and children.
Then little sunshine came into my life.
was given permission to see one member of
my family every Sunday, and they took it in
turn to come. But alas! after a couple of
months this privilege was withdrawn. / i'm
plored the governor of the prison to let them
come again, and, after the next visit of the
special prosecutor from st. Petersburg, to my
delight, leave was given.
This happened in September, 1912. He came
to my cell, and the first thing he did was to
offer me cigarette, saying. Here. Beilis Is q
cigarette. Take it and smoke it. Rut-tell me,
are you not afraid that shall poison you?"
What harm have done you that should
think that you want to poison me?" l replied.
He was evidently ashamed of the question,
for he was too confused to make any reply.
But his next words surprised me,
Look here, Bells" he said, II have brought
your wife with me, so that You can have
nice talk together but you must talk Russian"
He went out and brought her in. We talked
for quite time, but noticed that the prose-
cutor listened very carefully to all we said. /
supposed he was again hoping to get some
evidence against me.
l asked my wife how things were going on at
home. She said that she was now getting my
usual salary from Mr.. zaitzeff, and that they
fairly comfortable But she seemed very
uncertain whether she ought to accept the
money. We had never before had any money
for which we had not worked
l inquired about the boys education. She
al hiatt 1ar
this, and that Pinka had been taken away from
the gymnasium. She felt this blow as much
as ]. When the prosecutor heard her tell me
this, he said;
Ha, hal Bells, you see the Jews will not
help you now! Your work for them was fin
ished when you killed the poor unfortunate
boy. You were good, honest Mendel before
that; and now the job is done and you in
prison, everybody turns away from you, and
nobody wants to know YOU"
| made no reply to his words 1t does no.
do for prisoner to answer back a high
official.
About two months after, just before Christ
mas, 1872 l was told that the evidence Wa
closed, and that the trial would take Mace
shortly. On the advice of my brother | then
asked for copy of the indictment in order
10 study it. | was informed that if given a
copy 1t would mean my remaining another
six months IN prison. | thought it best te
do without It.
But, as it happened l did see it, On hiI
next visit the prosecutor left copy with nae
! read 1t through and through, but understood
very little of it. l wanted to find out what
they had against ME. But although there were
many names mentioned, l did not find mine
until the last page, and then only once. The
document, was full of untruths from start to
finish, and began to wonder how men could
be so wicked as to invent such lies.
But now realized the strength of the forces
against me- and for the first time began to
fear the truth would not win These were very
dark days for me. The Bible became my only
consolation. | began to read 1t and to under
stand it. Without its aid should have gone
mad. 1t seemed as though l. alone in that dark
cell had all the rest of the world against nae.
Mr.. Margolin was the man who gave me new
hope. He told me that my lawyers had been
carefully through the Indictment and could
not ma Jot of evidence against me. He was
confident that if were given fair trial
would certainly be acquitted. My spirits rose
rapidly at this.
They quickly sank again when he told me
some days afterWard that the trial had been
postponed, because one of the experts who
was to give evidence had been taken i'll. I
had never heard the word expert" before, and
now saw how complicated the trial would be,
lie tried to explain the history of the religious
questions involved but they were too hard for
me to understand. I could only see it would
be great battle before my freedom could be
won.
The postponement was heavy blow felt
as though | could not stand the prison life any
longer And my treatment began to get worse
and worse My health was very bad, and ]
expected every day to be my last.
| told Mr. Margolin about it, but he again
advised me to endure it, and not give them
the satisfaction of my death. Once more he
impressed on me the Importance that this
ritual lie should be stamped out once and for
ALL and ! made up my mind that whatever
happened / would live for the trial.
At last the news came that the trial had
been definitely fixed for September 25 1913.
For one month | was placed in solitary CON
hnement. This was pretty we'll the last straw.
My Polish friend had been great comfort to
me, but now my nerves got in such state
that ! had to fight to keep my sanity. But |
held on with might and main. read through
and through my Bible, and l tried to keep my
thoughts on that alone.
One day four myself on the point of hys
terra asked to see the governor. and I'M
plored him to at me in a cell with the rest OF
the prisoners He refused, but afterward al.
lowed another prisoner to share with me. He
remained until two days before the trial, when
again ! found myself alone.
An extra lock was now placed on my door
Instead of one Waterman, two we're placed on