RIOTING IN THE CZAR’S CAPITAL.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 29 April 1901, Page 4

RIOTING IN THE CZAR’S CAPITAL.

Students and Cossacks in Battle

Many Injured and Hundreds Arrested.

Soldiers Ride into Crowds without

Mercy.

The following account of the recent rioting in Russia is taken from our American Exchanges

St. Petersburg, March IS.—The Students organised to-day what, was intended to bo an imposing demonstration in front of the Cathedral of Out Lady of .Kazan, the occasion being the anniversary of the death of Vctrora, flic girl who committed suicide some years ago in a dungeon of the political prison in the fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul, in order to escape persecution. Immense crowds assembled on the Novoski Frospokt, the principal street of the city, and the adjacent thoroughfares. The military in even greater numbers occupied the district, closing all entrances of all houses and shops, patrolling the streets, and time after time clearing the pavements, making arrests, including teachers and pupils of the higher grade girls’ school. Several of there young women resisted arrest. The demonstration was held, but, owing to (lie presence of tins troops, it was rather a mild affair, although for a lime serious; consequence:: seemed likely to follow the brutality of the Cossacks in driving hack the people with whips.

A number of si intents who had recently protested against (he excommunication of Count Tolstoi assembled inside the Cathedral and began smoking, shouting, throwing tilings at the holy images, and whistling while the sacred, elements were being prepared for the sacrament. Thereupon the congregation began to thrust the disturbers outside, mid a general light ensued.

One of the cathedral banners was seized by the students, who used it in the lighting outside the cathedral, where proclamations were thrown among the crowd, containing such phrases as " Long live liberty and free government !” and

••Down witli the Czar!” Finally the students obtained a red Hag, and an attempt by the police to seize it was the signal for a general tight.

London, March lllth.—Special despatches from St. Petersburg describe fierce fighting between the demonstrators and the Cossacks. The latter charged the in oh at; a gallop, and the people replied with volleys of slimes.- A Cossack, ♦.ho was struck on the head by an iron holt, was unhorsed. The Cossacks, on seeing their leader fall, dismounted and engaged in a hand-to-hand fight, using their whips free! yon the people, many of whom were injured seriously, although nobody was killed. • Altogether SOO students were arrested.

A later despatch says: “The fight lasted for over an hour, and the disorders continued, until evening. From 700 to SOO students were driven by the police and Cossacks into the surrounding yards, where they were detained for examination by the Minister of Justice.

“Faces were cut open by the whips of tho Cossacks. Old women were crushed almost to death. A child was killed, and it is rumoured that there were ocher fatalities, though it is impossible to confirm tho rumour. Further disorders are expected to-morrow’’.

St Petersburg, March 20th—Serious riots occured in St Petersburg to-day on the oecassion of a solemn mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan for the repose of the soul of M. Bogolicpoff, the Minister of Public instruction, who was shot rind fatally wounded by Karpovich. The police fired their revolvers, and it is rumoured that five students were killed and eighty others seriously or slightly injuren. Wholesale arrests, including many women, followed tho rioting. Alarm pervades high circles hero. The ■police have notified house owners to have their house police report for duty and hold themselves in constant readiness. The report that three students were killed yesterday is confirmed. The Cossacks rode into the crowds on the sidewalks, an) many faces were cut open by their knotted whips. The students and working men threw rubber shoes, canes, and snowballs at tho Cossacks. It is reported that one Cossack was killed.

An official of tho political police said a thousand prisoners were taken, am mg them being 650 i, women students. The presence of large numbers of factory working men among the rioters rendered this demonstration more dangerous than any known in a generation. After reading the manifesto the students throw their crumpled copies into the crowd, and raised a flag inscribed “Fur Liberty.” The students also shouted “Help us go# our rights,” and tho mob responded with cheers.

The official “Messenger,” which publishes an account; of the disorders in vairous Russian cities, and of Sunday’s outbreak in St Petersburg, says tho latter : “tV hen the crowd, which numbered ■IOOO, became turbulent the Cossacks and police were summoned. Tire demonstrators retreated to the Cathedral of our Lady of Kazan, and pelted the Cossacks and police with various missiles. Tho students attempted to display red and white flags bearing various inscriptions. On one side of the Cathedral the crowd came into violent collision with the Cossacks and police. A portion retired into tho Cathedral, behaving noisily and smoking cigarettes, although tho service was going on, until forcibly expelled. “Altogether 3;J9 male students, ‘IV7 women, mostly students, and forty-four other persons were arrested. A police commissioner, twenty policemen, four Cossacks, and thirty-two rioters, male and female were wounded.”

All the higher schools i f (lie city arc closed and ad the police headquarters are filled with arrested persons. Gibers in custody who had been temporarily confined in the military riding school were taken to various persons to-day in omnibuses. They wore cheered by the students as they passed. Tho demonstration on Sunday continued after the alYrny at the cathedral, at other places, especially in front of the office of tho police, where some of the persons arrested were taken, in front of tho Litovsky prison, an i near tho Mining Institute and the I'ontilaw factory. A remarkable feature of tho demonstration lias been the jirouihunt pan taken by women of trio higher c’asscs of life university, London, Ataveh 20(In—The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Daily Express” says : -“Three hundred at r. :• t■=

were made I inlay (Monday). The Minister of Justice was tired at last week, and the life of another Alin inter Jiaa been at-

te npted.

Itcrlin, March 20:h.—The St. IVto.rsburg correspondent of tins “ Tngcblau ” says he lias learned of two asperate conspiracies to assinate the Czar. Tho Hist attempt was p'anm d to ho made on the occasion of (he jnbdec ball of the naval cadet corps, which ihu Pa ir had promised to attend.

His Majesty was n ady to start and war. waiting for Ida carriage warn GovernorGeneral Klein,el arrived nt the palace and informed him that ho must not go, several suspicions persons belonging to tho revolutionary party having been arrested at tho Nicolai bridge with arms and forged passports. He informed [Hia Majesty that tho prisoners were probably emissaries of tho Central Nihilist Committee at Zurich. Tho visit was accordingly abandoned.

The second a Hair occurred in the middle of January, when tho Czar, accompanied by his mother, visited the Ceramic Exhibition. When entering one of tho rooms the members of the committee, who were escorting the Imperial party, suddenly noticed an unknown man hurriedly approaching thoCzax*. As tho public had been excluded,and those authorised to attend had been carefully selected, tho presence c.' tho stranger excited suspicion.

Several of the Czar’s parly hastened to races him to lead him away. Thereupon the man suspiciously thrust his hand in a pocket. Ho was instantly seized. When j he was searched a bomb was found in his ; pocket. ' ;