According to the testimony of witness Marantz (p. 17-32) he, on Saturday morning, dressed as a soldier, came down Alexandrovskaya street to the Trachtenberg house, which, as he learned afterwards, was the bolshevist headquarters. He noticed many workmen about the house, dressed as soldiers. One of them asked him to join them. He 'then went over to the other side of the sidewalk. At this time he noticed that commandant Kiverchuk's hundred Cossacks, with his assistant Novitsky at the head, was riding horseback from the station in the direction of the Trachtenberg house. He then turned to a Russian workman, an acquaintance, who was standing there, and asked what Novitsky's appearance meant. The other replied: "Novitsky is with us, and is at the head of the uprising." But he did not have time to finish the sentence when this same Novitsky gave the loud command: "Load your guns." Shortly a volley rang out. As was afterwards discovered, it killed a young woman, daughter of the Trachtenberg who owned the house, who was in her own room. The bolsheviks surrounding the Trachtenberg house fled, and the revolt was definitely ended. Other volleys were heard in various parts of the city, but apparently with blank cartridges. The Gaidamak soldiers were again concentrated at the station. Arrests took place in town, while at the station tables were laid to entertain the Gaidamaks. The Ataman Semosenko, this time in full accord with Kiverchuk, took up the duties of garrison commandant. He celebrated his assumption of the post by a luxurious entertainment of the Gaidamaks, and after dinner furnished them vodka and cognac. At the end of the banquet he delivered a speech to the Gaidamaks, in which he described the serious situation of Ukraine, and the efforts they had put forth upon the field of battle, and added that the most dangerous enemies of the Ukrainian people and the Cossacks were the Jews, whom it was necessary to extirpate in order to save Ukraine and themselves. He demanded of the Cossacks an oath that they would fulfil their sacred duty and extirpate the Jewish population; but at the same time they
UKRAINE
were also required to swear that they would not loot Jewish property. The Cossacks were led to the colors and took oath that they would massacre but not loot. When an under-officer proposed, instead of the massacre, to levy a contribution on the Jews, Semosenko threatened to shoot him. One captain was also found who declared that he would not let his company kill unarmed people. This captain, who had important connections in Petlura's government, was sent out of town with his company. The other Cossacks drew up in line of march, with music in the van and sanitary corps behind, and marched into the city along Alexandrovskaya street, where they broke up into separate groups and scattered over the side streets, which were thickly populated with Jews. (See v. II, p. 14, testimony of Baliner.)
The Massacre
The mass of the Jews had hardly heard of the bolshevist revolt which had occurred. Accustomed in recent times to all kinds of firing, they paid no particular attention to the shots which were heard that morning. It was Saturday and the orthodox Jews had gone early to the synagogue, where they prayed, and then, returning home, sat down to the Sabbath dinner. Many, according to established custom, after the Sabbath dinner, had lain down to sleep.
The Cossacks scattered over the Jewish streets in groups of five to fifteen, and with perfectly calm faces entered the houses, took their sabres, and began to cut down all the Jews in the houses, without distinction of age or sex. They killed old men, women, and even nursing babies. They not only cut them down with the sword, but also thrust them through with bayonets. They resorted to firing only in case individuals succeeded in breaking forth into the street. Then bullets were sent after them. When news of the beginning of the massacre spread among the Jews, they began to hide in attics and cellars, but the Cossacks dragged them down from the attics and killed them. Into the cellars they threw hand grenades.
According to the testimony of the above-mentioned Schenkmann the Cossacks killed his younger brother on the street near the house, and then ran into the house and split the skull of his mother. The other members of the family hid under beds, but when his little brother saw his mother's death he crept out from under the bed to kiss her body. The Cossacks started to cut down the boy. Then the old father could endure it no longer
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and also came out from under the bed, and one of the Cossacks killed him with two shots. Then they went to the beds and started thrusting at those who lay under them. He himself happened not to be hurt.