The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01

reports OF the General STAN inter-
preting this catastrophe we're anx-
iously awaited. But instead OF an
explanation an official report was
issued which filled the whole Jewish
population with terror and which is
known in Russia to-day as the
'Kuzshi story"
Five or six days after the city. Of
Shawl was taken by the Germans
there appeared In the organ OF the
army. Nash Viesfnik, an official re-
port. which was spread broadcast
throughout the country by the au-
thorities through the news bureau
concerning the "treachery" Of the
Jewish population i'm the village Of
Kuzshi. not far from Shawl. It was
stated that because Of this betrayal
h Russian army had met with over
whelming defeat. The Jews. according
To the accusation. had hidden bands Of
German soldiers in their cellars. When
h Russian troops with their ON
mandcr, Col. Vovilov. entered the
village. the Jews said there were no
Germans in the vicinity. o after
the Germans rushed out from their
hiding places and fell upon the Rus
slams. killing the brave Col. Vovilov.
Since the outbreak Of the war the
Government has arranged to print
the war bulletins and to post them on
every street the very same day they
are flashed over the telegraph wires
throughout Russia.
Jus picture the Jews awaking one
fine morning and reading not only In
the newspapers hut in the streets the
reports describing Jewish ~'trcachery"
and announcing that some Of the Jews
had already received their Just
deserts and others had been packed
of to Siberia.
The Jewish population was para
wed. No that they were afraid. but
this news was n great shock to them.
1t was very evident that the accusa-
ton was false. But what can bc done
when the Government has such
facilities for spreading its. reports and
thus influencing the ignorant Russians
in thousands OF towns. cities n
villages? What can he done I q check
such poisonous work when the whole
country is in the throes of war. when
IL IL impossible to investigate and pro-
claim the truth?
But in spite Of all handicaps some
information was secured about the
kuzshi affair. The following facts
were as~certained:
In all kuzshi there are only three
Jewish homes.
In all kuzshi there is not n single
cellar. either in the houses of the Jews
or Of the Christians.
In all KuZshi the Russian officers
did not harm a single Jew, The two
officers who arrived with their soldiers
sfter the Germans had withdra wn
from the village ooh up their quarters
in the house of a Jew named Kibart.
who served them to the best OF his
ability.
The Jews gave the Russian officers
what information they could about the
German forces.
In the middle of tho night kibart's
house was fired by the Germans and
the terror stricken Jewish family was
rescued with the help OF Russian sol.
jiers.
The entire population Of the village,
Jews II Christians alike, fed in al
directions from Kuzshi.
On the third day a band ri Cossacks
hemmed in the fugitives suddenly.
segregated the Jews. heating them
mercilessly, and drove them Of along
a different road.
To-day the unfortunate Jews Of
kuzshi, now a mere handful. are in
Riga. together with other Jewish
exi'cs. Perhaps they will be driven
still further. At any rate they have
not been arrested: they have not been
accused ~ t~reachery.
Such are the facts in the "kuzshi
story" which IL as widely known in
Russia to-day az the kishinef mas
sacre or the Bells case. The "KuzshI
story was the chief topic OF CONVEX
sation for a long time throughout the
land. The report was discussed pri-
vately at a session Of the Ministerial
Cabinet. and here, 90, IL was definitely
decided that the story had absolutely
no foundation This decision. how
ever. was not published. Neither die
II appear in the newspapers as an Off.
'ial announcement. nor was the slight.
est criticism " the inviolable words OF
the military authorities permitted. The
millions of ignorant peasants in the
villages. the Black Hundreds in the
cities. the nerve wracked. exhausted
millions Of soldiers in the army, ever
the Russian intelligent circles-in fact
almost the entire land-believe to this
day that the "kuzshi story" Is true
that the Jews in n village were reall,
guilty Of horrible treachery and tina,
Christian blood was shed because q,
Jewish traitors.