The Penn's Grove record., 1921-02-18
Children Walk
Thousand Miles
Pitifui Story of Penns Grove
Mans Children Betrayed In
Far Away Russia

Four children, In Russia, by letters
to their father, Ike Levitt, a junk
dealer, whose pace of business is at
1873 Harmony Street, Penns Grove,
caused the arrest OF Jacob Chefetz, 20
years old, in Philadelphia, a lew days
ago and he is nov IN ~Moyamenslng
prison IN default of $1,000 bail on a
swindling charge.
The man Che1etz was supposed to
be a friend OF Levitts. The story OF
his betrayal of a sacred trust and
his brutahty makes a pitltul tale.
in August OF last year, Mr.. Levitt
received word from Russia that his
wife had been killed in a Bolshevik
uprising and that his four children
were living on the charity OF neigh
bors, who could spare them only an
occasional meal from their scanty sup
ply. The same week he attended a
meeting of the Philadelphia Russian
Rellef Association, an organization OF
natives o1 klev, which has as its OBJ
ject to bring ali relatives of its mem
bers to this country.
Chefetz came from New York where
he lives at 1888 Madison Avenue to
attend the meeting. Levitt met nm
there. He announced that he con-
templated going to Kiev and would
gladly bring back the relatives of any
friends, charging only a small fee for
his services.
Mr.. Levitt Immediately entered into
an agreement with Chetetz and made
him an initial payment of $500 with
which he was co get the children at
- oxal +o1yn them m Rnln1P R1ma-
MIA, where they were to embark for
this country.
Levitt wrote his children, explain
ing that Chefetz, whom each OF them
knew personally, was to bring them TO
the United States.
Chefetz arrived in Kiev about Sep
TENDER 25th. The children, Eshea, IL;
Sonia, 16; Mania, IA, and Israel, II,
met him with open arms.
Levitt charged before the mag1s-
trate that Chetetz told his children he
had received no money to bring them
back and knew nothing of the agree
ment. The children Immediately wrote
their father, and before they received
a reply, Chefetz left for Belzuc. The
children, eager to be brought here,
started out and travelled two months,
tramping by Gay and begging bread
where they could. AT night they
slept in barns and along the road side.
Emaciated by their thousand mile
tramp they arrived in Belzuc, where
thew again met Chefetz, but he re-
fused to have anything to DO with
them or render them any aid what
ever.
While in Belzuc the children met a
Russian woman, Mrs. Senol Letko,
who told them she had given Chetetz
S145 to bring her to America, but
Chefetz a away and embarked.
Levitt last week received a. letter
from Mrs. Lefko, stating that she and
the four children are in Belzuc, su1fef-
mo from lack of n~ourishment.
After Chefetz set sail upon his re-
t11rn trip to New York Levitts chill
dren wrote him again and he went to
New York and met the man and asked
wbv he had failed to bring the chill
dren along with him.
He said he had been held up on the
border and robbed Of all his money.
He then had the audaclty, according
to Levitt's testimony, to offer TO re-
turn and get the children for Sl15o.
Levitt apparently accepted the new
proposition and told Chefetz to come
to Philadelphia and he would have the
none ready for him. When ne ar
rived hA found two detectives waiting
for him with a warrant for his arrest.
Mr.. Levitt has also learned since
Chefetz's arrest that he had swlndled
his own brother-in-law< Max Zelias,
out of 5000, he having agreed to bring
his sister, Zellas' wife, back with him.:
Zellas has also preferred a charge OF
embezzlement against him.
Mr.. Levitt is anxious to get hls
children with him and away from the
suffering and privations they are IN
dergoing.