TWO FAMILIES MASSACREED.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9067, 6 February 1908, Page 6

TWO FAMILIES MASSACREED.

MIDNIGHT DEATH STRUGGLE WITH A BAND OF ROBBERS. Rostoflf-on-Don, December 8. Two families were practically exterminated bn the night of November 30th, at a lenely farm on the Steppes near Novotcherkask by a band of robbers, who despatched even the household cat and dog. The names of the killed are Bondarenko, his wife, his son Nikita, his fourteen year old daughter Xenia, and a young man named Limorenkoi; and ot the other family Gretchenko, his wife, his brother, and his two young children. Three little boys of the Bondarenko family hid from the murderers and ''scaped. It appears that,.Jhe Bondarenko family had just retired for the night, when the door was burst in and three strangers entered. Brandishing revolvers, they commanded everyone to come out. Dazed with sleep, the family obeyed, and saw several other men with revolvers and ropes outside the door. Bondarenko was ordered to hand over all the money he'had. He replied that he possessed ’ only 16s, to which the robber leader retorted that would give his men just each. At this point the girl Xenia fell into hysterics. A robber threw a cloth over her head and brained her with a hatchet. The boy Nikita and the young man Limorenkoi were next seized and killed in the same manner. Bondarenko and his wife were then locked up in a cupboard, whence they heard the robbers enter the adjoining building, where the Gretchenkos slept. Strikes and groans arose as the whole Gretchenko family were overpowered and murdered. Gretchenko’s wife was strangled with a piece of rope. Next the robbers returned, dragged forth Bondarenko and his wife, and slaughtered them. The three youngest children escaped the murderers’ notice and were left alone with the dead. A peasant visiting the farm discovered the tragedy and rescued the children next day. The bodies were found in different places, showing that the victims had made vain attempts at flight. Some of them had their hands tied behind their backs. On the girl Xenia’s battered face traces of tears were still visible.