Jewish Fanatics in Russia

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 153, 8 May 1886, Page 4

Jewish Fanatics in Russia

A correspondent writes to the London Times from Odessa, on March 3 : "At the small town (11,000 inhabitants) of Tchighirin, at which, in the early days of Nihilism, took place a famous trial of more than a hundred peasants for agrarian crime, in the Government of Kieff, were lately tried the followiug 11 Jews, namely: — Gershko Sokolovsky, Iteko, Nekhemya, and Sroolya Krasny, Yankel Sheretoveky, ShayJeek, (the Polish Judaic for Shy lock) Balagoor, Lub Bootovetsky, and his son and daughter Moshko and Rooklya, and Feig and Mirlo Brodsky, for having tried to force Evdokiya Shevtchenkova, another daughter of Leib and Kana Bootoveteky to again embrace Judaism after having seceded from it in order to become a Christian. The following are the facts of the case as they came out in the evidence : — On the Ist of March, ISS4, Bootovetsky's daughter was baptized at her own desire, bnt against the wish of her relatives and people, by the priest (Russian, of course) of Boltiehk, the village in which she resided and took the name of Evdokiya (Eudoxia) Shevtchenkova, after her godfather, Emelian Shevtchenko, a small Russian peasant of the same village in whose house ehe resided ac hi 3 adopted daughter up till j the 19th of the month of June in the same yjear. In the evening of that day she went to bathe in the village pond. In Ruesia the women swim quite as much and as well as the men and this habit is so common that not only do the latter never in any way molest the former, but thej do not ever notice them or look at them when they are in the water. There ehe found her sister Rooklya, already in the water. As soon as she had undressed and went in herseli Rooklya ceased bathing, speedily dressed herself, and ran to their parents' house. Soon afterwards four Jews arrived at the pond with a horse and cart, gave Evdokiya only just time enough to puton her chemise, then forced her into the vehicle, and drove off with her. On the road the party was met by Evdokiya's cousin and sister (Moshko and Rooklya Bootovetsky) with a change of clothing for her to put on as a disguise, and which she was obliged to put on while still in the cart. She was driven to a neighbouring village, Alexandroffka by name, where she arrived that night. Itsko and Nekhemya Krasny, two ot her kidnappers, there placed her in charge of their brother (Sroolya), who, taking her with him some distance, thrust her into a cellar, and there kept her for two days and nights without food. While she was there Nekhemya Krasny twice visited her, and on each occasion violently pinched her, stuck needles into her arm and the upper part of her back, and attempted to choke her, while exclaiming, * Why didst thou say blasphemous words to thy sister? Promise that thou wilt abjure the Christian faitb, otherwise I will strangle thee.' But in the evening of the 21st of June Itsko and Nekhemya Krasny removed her from the cellar, yet still tried all they could to get her to renounce Christianity. At the same time Sbayleek Balagoor lent Itsko Krasny his horse and cart, in which to take her to the above mentioned town of Tchighirin, whither she was driven by Nekbemya Krasny and Yankel Sheretovsky, who left her there, and then returned to Alexandroffka ; and her cousin, Moshko Bootovetsky took her to her relative Feig Brodeky, who kept her for a whole week locked up in an isolated room, and every time he and his wife (Evdokij-a's sister-in-law), visited her in order to ascertain if she wanted anything to eat, they tried to coax her back to Judaism. Next appeared at Tchighirin her father and an uncle (Gerehko Sokolovksy), with the object of removing her from there. As soon as they were out of the town, the former ordered her to get into a cart of the latter, to whom he said, * Take her to wherever you like, so that my eyes nev er see her any more.' Thereupon Gokolovsky drove away with her at full speed ; and in answer to her inquiry, * Where he was going to,' he, in the first place, eaid ITo Poltava, ' and then apparently correcting himself, 'To the Don' He continued to drive on without stopping at any place, avoiding the small town and villages during the day, and arranging to pass through those he was obliged to at night. At night, too, be grazed his horse on the ateepe. In the evening of the third day of their journey the travellers arrived at the village of Dzoobanovka, Kobiliyatsky district, in the Government of Poltava. Evdokiya, fearing that she would be forced at last to return to Judaism, managed to get away from her uncle and ran to the village bailiff, and made known to him her position. The bailiff got the aid of the village policeman, and had them both ar rated, when Sokolovsky called Evdokiya j his daughter. On the way to Kobiliyatsky gaol, Sokoloveky was asked why he was running away with her. He answered, •To seek a husband for her,' which meant, it appears, that he wished to kill her. The arrest of these two led to the arrest of all the others and their trial, with the following result: — Gerskho Sokolovsky, Iteko, Nek" hemya, and Sroolya Krasny, Yankel Sheratovsky, Shayleek Balagoor, and Leib Bootoveteky were sentenced to the loss of all their rights and to eight years' hard labour each ; and Feigßrodeky andMoahko and Rooklya Bootovetßky were sentenced to the loss of all their rights and to five years' and four months 1 hard labour each ; Mirlo Brodsky was acquitted. Evdokiya three months ago married a Christian peasant of the Government of Kherson