The Jewish population of Colombia is just getting over a scare involving the old libel that Jews use blood of Christian children that started here when a local Jew recovered with unusual rapidity from an attack of acute tuberculosis.
Police, checking several “eyewitness” reports that the Jew’s wife had been seen drawing blood of Christian children, found bottles of homemade cherry brandy in the ill man’s home.
The rumor had been printed as a leading story in a number of anti-Semitic newspapers. After the family was cleared, punishment was demanded for these papers and for anti-Semites who had helped to spread the reports.
The Jew, A. Chaikin, who had been living here five years, contracted a severe cold, which developed into acute tuberculosis. After doctors had given up hope for his recovery, specialists engaged by the family succeeded in curing him.
Credence was lent to the rumors by the sudden disappearance of several children.
After ransacking the Chaikin home, police completely cleared the family.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
