The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-02
THIS In DARKEST RUSSIA
Physicians Accused of Poisoning Pa.
tients to Kill OFF the Cholera.
Peasants Form a Mob and Fight Pitched
Battle with the Soldiers-New Story of the
Volcanic Ontturst on sanger Island.
CHOLERA PATIENTS POISONED.

Deputy Mobbed to- Death and Nearly One
Hundred of the Rioters Shot.
ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. 1.-Private letters
received here from Tashkend. a town OF
Asiatic Russia. in Syr-Darya, report that
news in regard to serious riots which &C.
Cured in that place on July in connec-
tion with the cholera epidemic has been
suppressed by the government, the strict
est censorship being exercised in the mat
ter. From these letters 1t IS learned that
the natives, believing the doctors were
poisoning patients who were suffering from
cholera, became greatly excited, and de-
termined to put an end 10 the murderous
practice which they imagined was being
employed In the cases of the unfortunates
stricken with the terrible disease. Five
thousand of the Sarts suddenly invaded the
Russian quarter of the town and attacked
and wrecked the residence of Deputy Gov
ernor Poutinstsoff. who fed on the APP
proach of the bowling mob. His flight
was discovered, however. and he as pur-
sned and overtaken in the street by large
and infuriated crowd of the attackers. who
mercilessly vented their fury on the help
less officials. He was surrounded on all
sides by enemies hungering for his blood.
and he was maltreated IN terrible man.
ner. He pleaded with his assailants for
mercy, but his appeals were in vain. and
at length he was thrown to tho ground and,
after being trampled upon by the desperate
rioters, was assaIled with a shower of
stones until the life had been beaten out of
him and his features had been mutllated
beyond recognition.
the state of affairs in the town took imme-
date steps to suppress the disorders and
protect the other endangered officials. A
body of troops was hurried to the scene OF
the attack on the Deputy Governor. and
they were given orders to adopt the most
rigorous measures in dealing with the riot
ers. Arriving at the place where the def
ant Sarts we're assem- bled the troops opened
fire on their ranks, killing several of them.
The Sarts were armed with pistols and
daggers. and, nothing daunted by the
deadly fire poured into them, held their
ground and made desperate resistance to
the soldiers. The two forces closed In on
each other, and furious hand-tO-hand
fight resulted. The maddened Sarts, when
their pistols had been emptIed, slashed
furiously about with their daRgers.
The Sarts were repulsed, and soon col
lected around the mosques and, taking pos
session of these edifices, at once set about
the work of converting them into tempo
rary forts. The troops at last, after re-
peated repulees. concentrated their forces
and making a grand assault. triumphantly
carried the mosques, and scene of carnage
eDsued.
No quarter was asked for nor was any
given. and the Sarts fell by scores before
the weapons of the soldiers. The character
of the struggle may be imagined when il is
known that sixty of the Sarts were killed
aud hundreds of them wounded, many of
them most previously. The soldiers. too. suf-
fered heavily. the Russian loss beiD fifteen
killed and many wounded. Tremendous eX-
element was caused in the town by the
terrible affair, and the authorities found 1t
necessary to strongly patrol the whole
place both day and night.