The Massacre at Kishineff.

Manawatu Herald, 25 June 1903, Page 2

The Massacre at Kishineff.

The first accounts of the murders is Kishiaeff appearedto have. been somewhat exaggerated;' A cablegram from Bucharest dated 19th May says that a reliable person who visited Kishiaeff two days after the massacre declared that trouble occurred on Wednesday and Thursday of the Orthodox Bister week. The pretext alleged, but disproved, was ritual murder. The arrest of the principal agitator was the signal for a premeditated fanatical attack on the Jews throughout the town. Hundreds of bouses ware wrecked, and in Some instances horrible outrages were committed on men, women and children. A hundred and seventyfire Jews were killed outright, and 386 wounded, of which sixty afterwards died. That the outbreak was Wholly anti-Semitic was evident, since Christians were not molested. The local authorities were powerless, their subordinates fraternising with the rioters. On the Friday two Cossack regiments reached Kishineff from a distance, and martial law waa proclaimed. The soldiers arrested several hundred rioters, and quiet was immediately established; The following doubtless accurate account of the disturbances was given to the Immigration Commissioners in New Ybrk on 27th May by a Jewish refugee just arrived from Kishineff “ The first disturbances occurred on Sunday, when bands of young men began smashing the windows of the Jewish shops and: synagogues. There was no killing on that day. The police could have stopped the rioting On Monday morning the second day of the Passover, the Jewish people returning from the synagogues were attacked by ruffians. My home was in Podulsky street; next door to me lives a shoemaker, who was the first victim of the rioters. He was killed and his body was horribly mutilated We beard cries, bolted doors and windows, and hid in a cellar. A Christian living with us saved our lives that day, lor he stood at the door, and the rioters* supposed that there were no Jews within. The mob swept through Podulsky-street like an awful storm, its noise mingled with the cries of those being butchered. When we heard »o more noise we. went out, I saw a number of women lying dead in the street, some with holes in their faces made by spikes driven through their heads by the murderers. Some men still alive were without lips; others nailed to the walks by the ears. In most cases the mutilations were about the head. The mob consisted of both men and women, the latter followed the men and robbed the dead and wounded. There were policemen in the mob. Later I saw policemen in full uniform looked up in the police station by order of the Police Commissary. The Governor of Bessarabia was telegraphed to from St Petersburg on Monday evening at B’clock, and commanded to stop the riot and to protect the Jews. The telegram was withheld by .the Governor until after midnight, the fiercest rioting, evidently inspired, taking place between those hours. The general hospital was filled with victims on iuesday morning The Jewish cemetery was placed under * heavy military guard, and we survivors all volunteered as grave-diggers for the victims The women suffered far worse that the men in the attacks by the mob There, war no class distinction—rich Jews were the victims of the mob as readily as the poor. Most of the Jews in Kishineff are small storekeepers, but some are prominent merchants.”