A Child of Christian Blood: Murder and Conspiracy in Tsarist Russia: The Beilis Blood Libel (55 page)

1.
     “By order of”: STEN II, p. 536.

2.
     “King of Thieves”: “Korol’ vorov,”
Rannee Utro,
November 12, 1908,
http://starosti.ru/article.php?id=16887
; Stepanov,
Zagadki,
p. 213.

3.
     “It seemed as if a dark cloud”: Shulgin,
The Years,
p. 62.

4.
     Krasovsky displayed: Pidzharenko,
Kriminal’nyi sysk Kieva,
pp. 204–38.

5.
     Tallish and kindly: Stepan Kondurushkin, “Vpechatleniia,”
Rech’,
October 14, 1913.

6.
     defendants appealed for help:
U Tolstogo, 1904–1910: Iasnopolianskie zapiski D.P. Makovitskogo,
vol. 3. (Moscow: Izdatel’stvo nauka, 1979), p. 241.

7.
     Tolstoy told:
New York Times,
August 9, 1908, p. SM6.

8.
     “intrigues and trouble”: STEN I, p. 536.

9.
     “regarding the factual side”: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
94.

10.
   “Worldwide Yid”:
Russkoe Znamia,
May 14, 1911.

11.
   “was not distinguished by”:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 91.

12.
   detailed survey: STEN I, pp. 542–44.

13.
   “one of his own”: STEN I, p. 161.

14.
   having an affair: STEN I, p. 398.

15.
   “promissory note”: STEN I, p. 97; GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 69.

16.
   Chirkov: STEN I, pp. 21, 41, 87.

17.
   “not especially reputable”: STEN I, p. 66.

18.
   Alexandra would often boast: STEN I, p. 99.

19.
   lived on the interest: GAKO f. 864, op. 10, d. 5, l. 10.

20.
   Alexandra had behaved quite suspiciously: STEN I, p. 131.

21.
   the police arrested Fyodor: STEN I, p. 561. Suspicion about him, STEN, p. 161; GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 68 ob.–69 ob.

22.
   Yashchenko: STEN I, pp. 140, 539;
Rech’,
September 30, 1913.

23.
   “He ended his investigation”: Stepanov,
Chernaia
(1992), p. 274.

24.
   “Nezhinsky’s story”: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 72–73.

25.
   Father Glagolev: Kal’nitskii, “Ekspertiza professora Glagoleva,” p. 164.

26.
   sat himself down:
Mikhailov memoir, pp. 6–9. This memoir, by a tsarist officer named Vasily Alexandrovich Mikhailov, is based on notes of a conversation with Mishchuk in 1918 when both were fleeing the
Bolsheviks. The memoir, composed many years later, contains factual errors about the Beilis case but has the palpable feel of truth when relating Mishchuk’s personal experiences.

27.
   “Cheberiachka”: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 88.

28.
   “lowest of the low”: STEN I, pp. 161, 467, 400.

29.
   Cheberyak was volatile: STEN I, p. 308.

30.
   Cheberyak freely admitted: STEN I, p. 468.

31.
   tried for the crime: Margolin,
The
Jews,
169.

32.
   her gang included: STEN I, p. 468.

33.
   he usually made himself scarce: STEN I, p. 284.

34.
   into a stupor: STEN II, pp. 20, 23.

35.
   semen on the wallpaper: STEN II, p. 167.

36.
   police informer: Mikhailov memoir, p. 13. This is the only source for Vera Cheberyak being an informer, but the accusation seems plausible.

37.
   “Vera … would visit me”: f. 864, op. 10, d. 11, l. 104.

38.
   A neighbor noticed: STEN II, p. 27.

39.
   stretch one day’s dinner: STEN I, p. 663.

40.
   Gusin watch store: GAKO f. 864, op. 10, d. 11, l. 3–4; STEN I, p. 548; STEN II, p. 42.

41.
   Nadia Gaevskaya: GAKO-DpdB (reel 4) f. 183, op. 5, d. 5, l. 263; STEN I, pp. 467–69.

42.
   The next day: STEN I, pp. 503, 549, 571; STEN II, pp. 43, 53.

43.
   stashed stolen goods: STEN II, p. 47.

44.
   “She looked somehow upset”: STEN II, pp. 24–25.

45.
   denied he’d seen: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 36 ob.

46.
   A theory of the case:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 306; Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 98; the notion that the Andrei’s murder was part of a plot to foment a
pogrom was oft-repeated but unsupported by any evidence. Margolin did not take it seriously; see,
Jews of Eastern Europe
, p. 189.

47.
   “Relations between Krasovsky and Mishchuk”: Pidzharenko,
Ne ritual’noe,
pp. 64–65.

48.
   clippings: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 72–73.

49.
   Krasovsky supervised: STEN I, p. 169.

50.
   In Luka’s presence: STEN I, p. 111.

51.
   officers searched the Cheberyaks’ home: GAKO-DpdB (reel 2) f. 2, op. 229, d. 264, l. 18.

52.
   Kirichenko, recalled: STEN II, p. 41.

53.
   Cheberyak detained:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
pp. 94–95; Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 96.

54.
   “I’ll be free of her”: STEN II, p. 21.

55.
   beaten the rap: STEN II, p. 597.

56.
   “I was afraid”:
STEN I, p. 301.

57.
   “very drunk” Fyodor: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 68 ob.–69.

58.
   A pattern had emerged: This point is made by Stepanov in
Chernaia
(1992), p. 279.

59.
   Cheberyak was held: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 101;
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 94; GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 66–68 ob.

60.
   liberal press rejoiced: Stepanov,
Chernaia
(2005), pp. 362–63.

61.
   slip of paper: Stepanov,
Chernaia
(2005), p. 363; STEN I, pp. 114, 560; GAKO f. 864, op. 10, d. 5, l. 11–12.

62.
   “heaping testimony”: Hans Gross,
Criminal Investigation,
p. 55,
http://archive.org/stream/criminalinvestig00grosuoft/criminalinvestig00grosuoft_djvu.txt
.

63.
   “Unfortunately, one cannot”: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
pp. 103, 106.

64.
   “wasted shells”: Korolenko,
Delo Beilisa,
“1. Na Luk’ianovke,” subheading III.

65.
   deposition: STEN I, pp. 177–80.

66.
   “consorting with criminals”: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 92.

67.
   cooperating with Golubev: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 126.

68.
   “The place where Cheberyak”: STEN I, p. 179.

69.
   “Shakhovskaya told me”: Stepanov,
Chernaia
(1992), p. 278.

70.
   On July 20: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 104.

71.
   “I forgot to mention”: STEN I, p. 179.

72.
   clay grinders: description in Korolenko, “1. Na Luk’ianovke,” subheading III.

73.
   “The day before yesterday”: STEN I, p. 192.

74.
   Korolenko the writer would point out: Korolenko, “Na Luk’ianovke,” subheading III.

75.
   “an agitated Golubev”:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 209.

76.
   “What filth”: STEN I, p. 546.

77.
   “conspiratorial expression”:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 209. Ruud and Stepanov hypothesize that Beilis and his son were initially detained out of fear for their safety and to preserve public order and that, at this point, the prosecution of Beilis was not inevitable. I do not believe a full reading of the record supports this theory. See Rudd and Stepanov,
Fontanka 16
, pp. 256–61.

78.
   “[Chaplinsky] explained to me”:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 227.

79.
   “exceptional interest”: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
pp. 118–19.

80.
   At three o’clock in the morning: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
106; Beilis,
My Sufferings,
pp. 36–38; Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 18, 1913.

1.
     At five o’clock: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 19, 1913, p. 3; Beilis,
My Sufferings,
p. 39.

2.
     Okhrana chief was well-known:
Zuckerman,
The Tsarist Secret Police,
p. 77; Ruud and Stepanov,
Fontanka 16,
pp. 181–82.

3.
     “What do I need”: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 19, 1913, p. 3.

4.
     Kuliabko left Beilis: Beilis,
My Sufferings,
p. 40.

5.
     “You can understand”: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 19, 1913, p. 3; Beilis,
My Sufferings,
pp. 41–42.

6.
     The door opened: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 20, 1913, p. 3; Beilis,
My Sufferings,
p. 41.

7.
     children’s voices: Beilis,
My Sufferings,
pp. 41–42; Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 20, 1913, p. 3.

8.
     “no insurance”: Beilis,
My Sufferings,
p. 39.

9.
     “rogues”: Baron,
The Russian Jew,
p. 9.

10.
   half-million: Gitelman,
A Century,
p. xiii.

11.
   Dubnow: Hamm,
Kiev,
p. 133.

12.
   “ghetto”: Meir,
Kiev,
p. 34.

13.
   poor Jews: Khiterer, “Social and Economic,” p. 308; Meir,
Kiev,
p. 34.

14.
   “migraine”: Khiterer, “Social and Economic,” p. 124.

15.
   “cheese pies”: Khiterer, “Social and Economic,” p. 181.

16.
   A new life: Meir,
Kiev,
p. 104; Khiterer, “Social and Economic,” p. 163.

17.
   For perhaps every ten or so: This is a rough guess. There appears to be no estimate of the number of Jews illegally living in Kiev before World War I. But in 1910, according to
Natan Meir, more than one thousand Jewish families were expelled from the city. Meir,
Kiev,
p. 130.

18.
   “For what purpose”: “Daily Raids in Kiev,”
Haynt,
March 30, 1911, p. 2.

19.
   “Where can”: Khiterer, “Social and Economic,” p. 181. A somewhat different translation can be found in Sholem Aleichem,
From the Fair,
trans. Curt Leviant (New York: Penguin Books, 1986), p. 238.

20.
   in the small village of Neshcherov: “Mendel Beilis’s Own Story of His Life and Persecution,”
New York American,
February 15, 1914. Beilis’s purported multipart
memoir in this Hearst paper is extremely unreliable, but this fact is probably accurate. Beilis did talk to a Hearst reporter and it’s known from a reliable source that Beilis worked in Neshcherov. Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 25, 1913, p. 4.

21.
   pogroms traumatized: Baron,
Russian Jew,
p. 45.

22.
   “Temporary Rules”: Baron,
Russian Jew,
p. 48.

23.
   “Why do they”: Baron,
Russian Jew,
pp. 45–46.

24.
   twenty rubles: Petrovsky-Shtern, personal communication.

25.
   not the catastrophe: Petrovsky-Shtern,
Jews in the Russian Army,
pp. 150, 191–92.

26.
   “The Jewish soldier”: Petrovsky-Shtern,
Jews in the Russian Army,
p. 196.

27.
   opportunity came: Beilis,
My Sufferings,
pp. 23–24.

28.
   brandy distillery: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 21, 1913, p. 4.

29.
   rich man’s home:
Samuel,
Blood Accusation,
p. 56.

30.
   Kiev’s population: Meir,
Kiev,
p. 108.

31.
   “peaceful future”: Beilis,
My Sufferings,
p. 25.

32.
   news soon leaked out: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 109.

33.
   His conversion: Stepanov,
Chernaia
(2005), p. 362.

34.
   telegram: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 78.

35.
   “I never told”: STEN I, p. 180.

36.
   “deal with him”: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 110.

37.
   Ulyana Shakhovskaya was formally questioned: STEN I, pp. 192–93.

38.
   three in the morning: STEN I, p. 292.

39.
   “Because of a shit”: STEN I, p. 292.

40.
   “indictment”:
Materialy Chrezvychainoi,
p. 95.

41.
   “I can present no information”: STEN I, p. 596.

42.
   Though utterly convinced: Margolin,
Jews of Eastern Europe,
pp. 163–64.

43.
   Chaplinsky’s order: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 109; Pidzharenko,
Ne ritual’noe,
pp. 74–77.

44.
   “I have nothing to consider”: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 21, 1913, p. 4.

45.
   “My husband”: GAKO f. 864, op. 10, d. 15, l. 95.

46.
   “confuse and entangle”: Beilis,
My Sufferings,
p. 46.

47.
   “I must send you”: Beilis, “Mayn Lebn in Turme,”
Haynt,
November 25, 1913, p. 3.

48.
   Darofeyeva: GAKO-DpdB (reel 3) f. 183, op. 5, d. 4, l. 395–395 ob., l. 401.

49.
   “ruin you”: STEN I, p. 332.

50.
   pear trees: STEN II, p. 21.

51.
   Vasily at first: STEN I, p. 330.

52.
   silent film: Morozov and Derevianko,
Evreiskie Kinematografisty v Ukraine,
pp. 57–61.

53.
   “In his delirium”: Stepanov,
Chernaia
(1992), p. 281; STEN I, p. 286.

54.
   covered his mouth: STEN I, pp. 283–84.

55.
   Sinkevich: STEN I, pp. 332–34.

56.
   communicate something to the boy wordlessly: STEN I, p. 333.

57.
   Polishchuk told Fenenko: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 121.

58.
   
Contemporary Word:
Stepanov, Chernaia (2005), p. 370; Tager,
Tsarskaia,
pp. 123–24.

59.
   “[Zhenya’s] death”: Tager,
Tsarskaia,
p. 124.