The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-12
JEWS OF RUSSIAN POLAND SUFFERING
 TORTURES OF WAR
Associated Press Investiga- tion Discloses Practice of
 Unusual Cruelties.

1
 hands of the Austrians and Germans,
 appear to have suffered, prior to the
 Russian retirement, more than the nor
 nal amount of hardship imposed by
 war. An investigation by a corre-
 spondent of the Associated Press dis
 closes that there was a rather pronis-
 cuous execution by the Russians of
 Jews accused of espionage, that many
 persons were subjected to physical as
 sauIts of greater less violence, conn mitted with knouts or flats of swords, and that in many places, chiefly out of the way villages and rural districts,
 there was some p1undering of Jewish shops and houses by the Russian sol diery.
 The correspondent visited the two chief cities of this district Lodz and Piotrokow. His proposal to visit other cities-Kielce and Radon were named particularlT-wa met by the state ment of Jews consulted that nothing much happened in the cities,'' and that the proposed trip would not be worth while. He questioned some Jews from the districts around Lodz and Piotro- kow, but was not able to visit the small villages and the rural districts generally, where the Jews allege most of the massacres, plunderings, viola tiOns, etc., occurred. The outstanding feature, however, of every case inves- tigated was that, in the words of one Jewish scholar, nothing happened to the Jews without previous denuncfa- ton" In some instances this feature of the case was immediately adTnitted; in others it was brought to light by further inquiry.
 A typical case of the latter sort was that of a Jew named Kozlowski, a store keeper at Malinitz, a village near Piotrowki. The story first told to the Associated Press representative was this: When the Russians came to Ma Ti77ffz NIrxra because it had come to their ears that some Jew of the village had boasted that the Germans would make short work of the Russians. The Russians lined Up all the male Inhabitants of the town and threatened to shoot or hang them unless the man responsible for the words complained of were de-e Hvered up. Thereupon Kozlowski stepped forward, assumed responsibi1- ity for the words in question, and was hanged.
 The correspondent finally succeeded in having a talk with KozIowslki's son and his father, both of whom wit messed the affair." When the Russia f1s first entered the village they asked for Kozlowski. He had been hidden by a friend, but was eventually found. He managed, however, to escape from the soldiers guarding him, and the com mander of the Russian regiment there upon had all male Jews drawn up in a line and announced that all, would be killed unless KosloWslki was delivered up. Koslowski informed of the threat presented himself He was taken away by a squad of soldiers and shot
 But how did the Russians know there was a KozIowski in town and why did they want hirn?'' asked the correspondent.
 A rival in business had sent word to the Russians that Koz1owski was a spy and that he was storing up goods for the Germans was the answer.
 Accepting as true the story of the manner of the execution, as it was told by the father and son of the victim, it-was marked by a specific cruelty which frequently marked executions during the Russian raid into East Prussia last October. The Associated Press correspondent at that time found many instances in which the victims were stood against the walls fire, as is usual in such executions, were killed by soldiers firing at will Ko7lowski appears to have been exc cuted in the same manner, after hay- ing been bound to a tree
 Polish denunciations according to witnesses were responsible for the only three cases of atrocity or cruelty found in Iodz itself. Russian soldiers came to the home of Abram Kochan on the Baluter Market in November, and took 1
 
 from following him. This was on a l Friday. The mans body was found l outside the city the following Tues | day. He had been shot.
 Isread Blockmann. an old man, told I how the Russians took his son from the body was found two days later outside the city. He had been shot and bayoneted.
 Meilach EI1enberg, man of about | t5, got into trouble with the Lodz au- 5horities in November by making and selling cigarettes without a license. An official visited him and Eilenberg paid 3 roubles as hush money. The fo1-1 owing day soldiers, who, EiIenberg said, had been informed of the affair also appeared and wanted money. He -efused their demands, was arrested and brought to the Russian military in the Grand Hotel. The commander, who had not time to hear he case through, told Eflenberg to consider himself under arrest, to re- urn to his home and present himself he text idayi EdIenberg started out put was stopped outside by soldier ed into a garden back of the hotel jed to tree there and kept there for eighteen hours A rabbi informed of he case, appealed to the commander who had Ellen berg released.
 A few days later the Russian com having presumably investi- l gated the case, compelled the return l 'f the 52 rubles taken from E11enberg md caused the grafter to be sent to ail for six weeks.
 There was some p1undering of small 'hops in Lodz by Russian soldiers, but t appears to have been of limited ex- .ent Some shops were pretty well cleaned out and their fixtures thrown nto the streets. AS a whole, however, he procedure seems to have been de- 'cribed by the owner of a small to- oacco shop.
 The Russians would come into my ;hop, he said, point to some cigar ,ttes and ask, how much?' When I | old them, they took handful, said, (thank you) and walked out.'
 Some Jews told of cases where their ountrymen had been badly beaten in he streets.
 Jews in PiotroMsIj said there were 1