Traduction, from the Roumanian of the
petition presented to the government of Roumania on Monday,
February 26, 1872, by a deputation
sent by the Israelites of Cabool.
Mr. Minister: The undersigned,
delegates from the part of the unfortunate Israelites of Cabool,
come to unfold before you the sinister tableau of the direful
facts which have occurred in that town.
After the pillage committed at Ismail, several persons came from
there and commenced to say, publicly, that they were going to
imitate the inhabitants of Ismail, and kill all the Israelites
of the place. I the undersigned, Archer Gold, went immediately
to the prefect Craciunerco, telling him what I had heard, and
mentioning Mr. F. Vaculpulo, who had distinguished himself most
by threatenings. The prefect calmed my apprehensions, promised
to take immediate measures, and sent out into the streets some
fifteen soldiers. The next day, Wednesday, the 19th of January,
the threatenings and the noise increased. I repaired again to
the prefect, but received the answer that he had left town.
I then went to see the chief of police, whom I implored to take
measures. On Thursday a Russian stopped a Jewish woman in the
street, saying that he had orders from the government to beat
her. The chief of police wanted to arrest the man, but a Greek,
called Spiru, rushed upon him, crying, “Who has given you the
right to arrest a citizen?” and threatening him with blows. The
chief of police was forced to release the Russian. On Friday and
Saturday the Israelites, to avoid conflicts, abstained from
going to their synagogues.
Sunday the commissioner of police came to me to ask money. I sent
my son to collect some among the Israelites, when he returned,
out of breath, and told us that they had commenced to beat the
Jews in the streets.
Bands of fifty and one hundred suddenly gathered before my house,
some of them being furnished with revolvers. Seeing that I and
my sons were armed, and resolved to defend ourselves to the
utmost, they retired. The evening the commissioner came to ask
me to leave the house, as the mob intended to put fire to
it.
In a neighboring house there were also assembled some armed Jews.
One of them fired on the mob, who threatened with destruction
all who were within. Two persons were wounded, one dangerously,
the other in the foot. The Israelite who had thus defended
himself was arrested, and is still lying in prison.
During this time the soldiers of the garrison summoned the
Israelites from their houses and were taking them to the
barracks. But while they were escorting them thither there
happened the most barbarous, cruelties, the account of which
alone is enough to make the heart shudder. Through the ranks of
the soldiers who surrounded the Israelites rushed on the
fanatics, armed with sticks, splitting open the heads of some,
breaking the arms of others, wounding a great number, and
perpetrating other unheard-of crimes, without the soldiers
making any movement toward defense. The way to the barracks was
marked with the smoking blood of the unhappy victims.
In the barracks gathered more than one thousand Israelites, who
remained there for
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three days without food. The dreadful anguish of mind caused two
pregnant women to be prematurely confined in midst of the
crowded multitude. The husband did not know of his wife, the
parent his child. An apathy, touching dementia, prevailed,
heart-rending to behold. One evening the commander came to tell
the wretches that the mob were going to fire through the
windows, and advised them to bend down to the floor in order not
to be struck by the balls; and yet the soldiers did nothing to
defend them; not one gun was discharged against those who
manifested their deadly purpose.
While the Israelites were lying in the barracks, their homes,
exposed without protection, were completely devastated. The
doors were forced open, the windows broken, the ceilings
destroyed, the floors pulled up; they broke the furnitures,
demolished the walls, plundered and carried away all valuables.
Our goods and our money are in the possession of the robbers. At
a certain Mr. Holban’s (lawyer) many objects have since been
found hidden. Our synagogues were devastated and converted into
cesspools, and the holy books torn and thrown into the filth.
Now the misery is at its height. Those who some days previous
were well off are now reduced to extreme poverty. Their houses
are in ruins; they are lacking their daily bread, shelter, and
clothing to protect them against the cold. Hundreds are lying
upon straw with their bleeding wounds. The two daughters of a
poor widow were violated in a most brutal manner.
The authorities did nothing to prevent the excesses. The procuror
of Fokskaus refuses even to look at the damages. The proprietor,
Karavassile, who had offered us 1,500 ducats to sign a
declaration stating that the Greeks had taken no part in the
riot, gave a ball to the procuror, which seems to have
completely changed his feelings.
The Russians were constantly saying that they had received orders
from the government to kill all the Jews; others said they had
these orders from the Russian consul The garde-frontiers, who
had gone with their sergeant-major Flo res cu to Leova,
maltreated the Jews in every village they passed through,
stating that the government had sent them orders to this
end.
The local administration we believe to be accomplices in the
riot, for the slightest attempt to repress the mob would have
been successful, as was evidenced at Chilia, where nothing but
the whip of the chief of police had the effect of putting to the
rout those who had gathered for a similar purpose.
We estimate the losses sustained by our community at 40,000
ducats. Our sufferings have been intense; we feel how inadequate
we are to express the misery we have endured; we come to you,
Mr. Minister, for justice. We ask that a special commission, composed of citizens of Bucharest,
in whom the government reposes confidence, be selected to visit
our town and make an investigation, both with reference to the
facts we have here but feebly portrayed, as well as to ascertain
the amount and character of our losses, that the guilty may be
punished and we innocent sufferers of wanton brutality
indemnified. In the name of our brethren exposed to similar
acts, we also invoke that a law be presented to the now sitting
chambers, holding each community responsible for similar acts of
vandalism.
We implore prompt action of the government: only such can rescue
us from and prevent recurrence of misfortunes. In the name of
God, in the name of our frenzied wives, our weeping children,
our starving, shelterless multitude, we ask, we demand this
justice.
We come, charged by our community, who yet repose confidence in
the humanity and virtue of our Prince and in you, Mr. Minister,
in whose hands rests the adminstration of the internal affairs
of the country.
With profound respect,
- ARCHER GOLD,
- MICHEL GOLD,
Delegates sent
from the Israelite Community of
Cabool.
