As early as April 23 a street fight took place which was accompanied by assaults on Jewish passers-by—­a prelude to the pogrom.  On the day before the fateful Sunday, the Jews were warned by the police not to leave their houses, nor to open their stores on the morrow.  The Jews were nonplussed.  They failed to understand why in the capital of the governor-general, with its numerous troops, which, at a hint from their commander, were able to nip in the bud disorders of any kind, peaceful citizens should be told to hide themselves from an impending attack, instead of taking measures to forestall the attack itself.  Nevertheless, the advice of the police was heeded, and on the fateful day no Jews were to be found on the streets.  This, however, did not prevent the numerous bands of rioters from assembling on the streets and embarking upon their criminal activities.  The pogrom started in Podol, a part of the town densely populated by Jews.  The following is the description of an eye-witness: 

At twelve o’clock at noon, the air saddenly resounded with, wild shouts, whistling, jeering, hooting, and laughing.  An immense crowd of young boys, artisans, and laborers was on the march.  The whole city was obstructed by the “bare-footed brigade.” [1] The destruction of Jewish houses began.  Window-panes, and doors began to fly about, and shortly thereafter the mob, having gained access to the houses and stores, began to throw upon the streets absolutely everything that fell into their hands.  Clouds of feathers began to whirl in the air.  The din of broken window-panes and frames, the crying, shouting, and despair on the one hand, and the terrible yelling and jeering on the other, completed the picture which reminded many of those who had participated in the last Russo-Turkish war of the manner in which the Bashi-buzuks [2] had attacked Bulgarian villages.  Soon afterwards the mob threw itself upon the Jewish synagogue, which, despite its strong bars, locks and shutters, was wrecked in a moment.  One should have seen the fury with which the riff-raff fell upon the [Torah] scrolls, of which there were many in the synagogue.  The scrolls were torn to shreds, trampled in the dirt, and destroyed with incredible passion.  The streets were soon crammed with the trophies of destruction.  Everywhere fragments of dishes, furniture, household utensils, and other articles lay scattered about.  Barely two hours after the beginning of the pogrom, the majority of the “bare-footed brigade” were transformed into well-dressed gentlemen, many of them having grown excessively stout in the meantime.  The reason for this sudden change was simple enough.  Those that had looted the stores of ready-made clothes put on three or four suits, and, not yet satisfied, took under their arms all they could lay their hands on.  Others drove off in vehicles, carrying with them bags filled with loot....  The Christian population saved itself from the ruinous operations of the crowd by placing holy ikons in their windows and painting crosses on the gates of their houses.

[Footnote 1:  The Russian nickname for a crowd of tramps.]