A REIGN OF TERROR.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 July 1919, Page 6

A REIGN OF TERROR.

’ CABNAGE IN SEBASTOPOL, MASSACRE ON THE HEIGHTS. BRITISH CHAPLAINPS STORY. With the defection of the Black sea fleet to Bolshevism Sebastopol became the scene of unheard "of enormities and outrages. As an introduction to the coming reign of terror, the Bolsheviks insultingly demanded the brave and brilliant Admiral Koltchak to surrender his sword to the mutinous seamen on board his flagship. The admiral now one of the chief leaders of the Russian people against the Bolsheviks and the hero of many fights in the Russoulapanese war, faced his Bolshevik crew on the quarter deck, and refused to surrender his sword, declaring that when he had been captured by the Japanese his country’s enemies had never made such a demand, and that he would die rather play the part of traitor to his country. He then stepped to the side of the ship, drew his sword, and hurled it into the waters of Sebastopol Har‘bour_ It was with intense relief that we heard he had succeeded in leaving the town with the allied mission. Thse events were soon followed by the onrushing wave of blood and horror which engulfs every place overwhelmed by the hideoiis Bolshevik tyranny. ‘ I g « I ‘ RO'T7TF9 TT-TROVVN I‘-\‘*"l‘O SEA. More than 400 oflicers were seized, and, in many instances, followed by their wives and children marched to the summit of the Malakoff Heights, the scene of the historic. stand of the Russian Army against the British in the Crimean War. Here, on the place of immortal memories Of.pei'ished greatness, the Bolsheviks did their captives to death afterwards filling carts with the bodies and throwing them into the sea, in order to deprive their families even of the consolation of having a grave to visit and tend. ‘ "

This was the beginning of a series of massacres and fiendish eruelties ‘which make Sebastopol a hell on earth. Any “bourgeoisie” were _forbidden to leave the town; escape was almost impossibl. Officers hunts were 1-eguarly instituted through whole streets, in which every house was ransacked from roof to cellar. One’s friends were done to death. and disappeared never to he heard of again. Hiding-places were discovered. disguises torn off, men hunted from roof to root'_ Some elderly oflicers of the highest rank and most prominent positions who had served their country for many years were saved alive. These were given the caps and badges of street messengers and compelled to stand at co‘-:nel's of the thoroughfares, an run errands and messages at the orders of the passing soldiers and sailors, who would frequently spit in their "faces and strike them for not hurrying sufliciently on some insulting commission. A few of the highest naval ofiieers were kept to clean the lavatories for the sailors. FAMILY DONE TO DEATH, A lady who managed to escape after the third general massacre and the murder of nearly all her relations, told me, among many other things, of the terrible fate of their next door neighbours, a young naval lieutenant and his wife and two little children, aged six and seven respectively. From behind her window curtains she watched the Red Guard approach down the street and demand admitanee to the house. Resistance was impossible, escape cut off. The party entered, and in awful suspense she waited events.

In a few minutes the men reappeared, with their vicitim, the young officer, in their midst. He was dragged into the road and there shot. down_ A moment later there was a sound of hurrying footsteps and a woman's despairing cry of heart-broken agony; the young wife rushed from the house and throwing herself on her knees in th read clasped her murdered husband’s body in her arms. The Red Guard attempted to drag her away, but half mad with terror and grief she only clung the closer. 'To end the scene the Bolsheviks ran her through with their bayonets, and she fell lifeless on the stones by her husband's side. EVEN THE LITTDE CHILDREN To complete the tragedy the two little children suddenly appeafed on the scene sobbing and crying, calling‘ On their father and mother, and endeavouring to wake them from the sleep of death by tugging at their dead hands. 1' The Bolsheviks pulled them away and ordered them home but the terri'fied little ones only screamed the louder and held tightly to their parents’ clothes. The Red Guard, irritated by 31050 nne:x:p."2ct_ed developments l':e?.t tie-0 t'~'.'<‘» -.=hi.ldren to death with the huttend of their rifles. Two days later the little .£a('ly who wi't- A 3-”-'«““s7¢'7 “f"w’.“~"3 €!ml mrmy o+l~.e:?1' of:re

cities, and who lost most of her friends and relations under circum-} stances of similar outrage and horror, contrived to make her escape from this city of hell, and reached Odessa in safety.