JOSEPH BENDRAK, 36-YEAR-OLD JEWISH BUTCHER’S ASSISTANT, WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT TODAY FOR THE MURDER OF STEFAN BARAN, POLISH RAILWAY PORTER, JUNE 19 WHICH LED TO FOUR DAYS OF ANTI-JEWISH RIOTING IN THIS CITY.
BENDRAK, WHO PLEADED NOT GUILTY, TOLD THE COURT HE SHOT BARAN IN SELF-DEFENSE AFTER BEING ATTACKED BY THE LATTER WITH STONES. SEVERAL WITNESSES, ONLY TWO OF THEM JEWS, GAVE EVIDENCE FAVORABLE TO THE DEFENDANT. ONE OF THE POLES WHO TESTIFIED CALLED THE ACCUSED “THE MOST HONEST MAN IN THE WORLD.” THE POLICE GAVE BENDRAK A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH.
THE TRIAL HAD AT FIRST BEEN ORDERED REMOVED TO PIOTRIKOW FOR FEAR OF DISORDERS HERE, BUT THE AUTHORITIES GAVE ASSURANCES THAT ORDER WOULD BE PRESERVED AT ALL COSTS. ALL SHOPS IN THE CITY WERE OPEN TODAY, BUT JEWS DID NOT APPEAR IN THE STREETS, WHICH WERE PATROLLED BY A LARGE BODY OF POLICE.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
