This proclamation completely overwhelmed the Jews, since they knew that no meeting had been planned and that the Jews were not thinking in the least of seizing the power. First of all they applied to Commissar Verkhola. Now Verkhola had certain facts in his hands, which indicated that someone in Proskurov was circulating provocatory rumors in his own selfish interests. It must be observed that a commission had been sent from Kamenetz to Proskurov to investigate the recent disturbances. But Semosenko, as Verkhola testifies, on his own authority, disbanded the commission, and named his own commission to investigate, not the pogrom, but the bolshevik revolt. One of the most active members of this commission was the Gaidamak Rokhmanenko, whose real name was Rokhman. This Rokhman, a Jew, according to his statement, entered the ranks of the Gaidamaks as a volunteer. He gave himself out for a former student and the son of a rich tanner of Kiev. But, according to evidence I have collected, he was a man of little education, and no means, who had for-
PROSKUROV:
merly lived on money which he earned by giving lessons in Jewish. This Rokhman got himself into Semosenko's favor, was named on the investigating commission, and, as a member of the commission, received power to arrest people on his own responsibility and bring them to trial. He arrested principally sons of rich parents, and through another Jew Prosser, in whose house he lived, received ransom for them. (See testimony of Storr, pp. 7-9.)
Verkhola succeeded in proving not only that Rokhmanenko was dealing in extortion and blackmail, but that other members of the commission were also taking bribes. He made a detailed report of all this to Semosenko, and insisted that he give him power to arrest them all. Semosenko, after long deliberation, consented to the arrest of Rokhmanenko, but absolutely refused to let the others be arrested. Verkhola searched Rokhmanenko's quarters, took away from him 18,000 rubles in cash, arrested him, and compelled him on examination to admit extortion and blackmail. At the same time Rokhmanenko declared that he had handed over most of the bribes he had received to Semosenko's chief of staff, Garaschenko. Verkhola communicated to Semosenko the results of his examination, and gave Rokhmanenko himself over to the public prosecutor. In spite of repeated urgings from Verkhola, the prosecution of the case against him was conducted very feebly, and at last lapsed altogether. Though Semosenko was asked at least to release the records of the investigation of the case, the latter were not returned. Rokhmanenko himself, while in prison, boasted that no one dared bring him to trial, and that he would soon be free and would then be bitterly revenged on his enemies. When the evacuation of Proskurov by the Petlurists began, it was decided to conduct Rokhmanenko from the common prison to another place, it being expected that his friends would liberate him and take him away. While he was being transferred, some one, out of personal revenge, shot him. Thus ended the days of this adventurist and renegade, who, by the way, boasted that he had taken an active part in the massacre of the Jews.
It goes without saying that Semosenko's proclamation of February 27 was issued under the influence of the provocatory activity of Rokhmanenko and other members of the special commission, who in their own selfish interests needed to sow panic and alarm among the Jews.
And, in fact, the Jews could not shake off their panic of fear. In company with Commissar Verkhola they considered all means which could be adopted for getting rid of Semosenko. At last
UKRAINE
Verkhola applied to the president of the Ukrainian national union, Mudry, who was in friendly relations with Semosenko's immediate superior, the corps-commander Konovaletz, and asked him to use his influence with Konovaletz to get Semosenko transferred to another place, since, while he was there, the tranquilization of the population of Proskurov was unthinkable. In this respect Verkhola also made sure of the co-operation of Kiverchuk, who did not like seeing all the power in the hands of Semosenko, and undoubtedly was envious of the latter. Besides this, Kiverchuk thought that Semosenko, in slaughtering a large part of the Jewish population, had done his work and that there was no further need for him. Together with Mudry, Verkhola went to Konovaletz's headquarters and there got from him an order that Semosenko should lay down the duties of garrison-commander and return to the front. Kiverchuk, in turn, was also soon removed from the post of commandant of the city of Proskurov, and remained only commandant of the canton of Proskurov.