The Portland daily press., 1896-06-16
THE MASSACRE AT MOSCOW.
Two Strangely Different Scenes on the
Khodinsky Plain. (


which races military reviews and popu-
lar fairs are usually held, opposite TO the
Petrofsky Palace. This wide, open and
treeless expanse was dotted over with
open air theatres, round abouts, music
platforms, refreshments stands Tor serving
out beer and mead, greasy poles, tight
ropes for acrobats, and other oontrivances
tanning the people.
All round the edge Of the plain nearest
to the highway leading from the city was
a fringe of small wooden stalls or booths
for the distribution of the Cars dol Q,
consisting of an ornamented tin mug, a
paper bag full Of nuts and sweets, all
tied up together in cotton print hand
kerohief stamped with views of the
Kremlin..
These stalls were ranged cluse together
with small passages between them, and
barriers gradually widening out to re-
ceiye the crowds and let through only
two or three persons at time to receive
their bundles over the counter. These
absurd arrangements proved veritable
death traps, for the booths were the des-
tination of hundreds of thousands of
poor folk, who tramped thither from ev-
cry part Of Moscow and it's suburbs.
The chaussee Of Tver and the principal
streets leading to it were thronged all
night by the mujik class, perfectly un-
conscious, of course, and, indeed, oonsid-
ering their fatalism, probably quite in
different to the danger, if they had given
it thought, of this pilgrimage. en-
masse after cakes and sausages-whioh
by the way. had already been spoiled by
long keeping, CLOSE packing and Excess
sive heat. On they trud ged, mon, wom-
en- and chi ldren, coming from all direc-
t1ons, especially from the rich and popu-
lous manufacturing districts near Mos
COW, crossing themselves before church
and shrine, and, perhaps. muttering q
paryer for the Gear.
1t is calculated that at least 800, 600
pers ons were collected on the khodinsky
Plain at the early hour of 5. The dis
trlbution of the bundles was appointed
for 10 clock. This vast crowd of tired
and hungry peasants and workmen could
not Walt SO long. They began to olamor
for the imperial gift. The crowd contin-
ually increased until there must have
been, it is calculated. some 800, 600 human
beings squeezing. fighting, oursing, yell
ling and doing their utmost to get first
az the booths.
have hitherto written Of the orderli-
ness Of Russian crowds and the excellens
arrangements of the police, during the
ceremonies. On this occasion so much
cannot be said. Ii there were any police
or troops at oil on the spot they were evil
IDENTIFY powerless A cry was raised to
storm the booths and seize the bundles.
The distributors in the booths got
frightened, and in order to save them
selves began to pitch the bundles among
the crowds.
This was fatal. The people fought,
crushed and trampled each other to
death in desperation. The ground was
uneven, and there were bitches and holes
which became crammed with dead and
dying. On and over them. even over the
heads Of the still living. sarged the
maddened crowds like the mighty bill
suffocated and fattened like pancakes.
The horrors of the scene are indescrib a-
BILE. Not till s o'clock was anything like
order restored.
The aspect of battlefield just after
fight is not so repulsive picture as this
part of the plain presented an hour or
two later, and, in faot, all day long, for
the bodies were not all removed until
evening. All through the day corpses
were being transported into the town in
Red Cross wagons. fire brigade oarts and
furniture vans. The bodies lay In some
places in heaps five or six deep, just as
they had fallen. The terrible heat and
glare OF the sun soon had their effect,
and the stencil became unbearable. The
black and purple discoloring of the faces
of those squeezed and suffocated was
CHASTITY.
The preparations had gone SO far that
it was considered impossible to coun-
termand the remainder Of the fete.
The fashionable crowds began to pour out
of the town to the large stands and tri-
Dunes erected to overlook thu plain in
front OF the Petrofsky Palace about
noon. The imperial pavilion was in the
centre. The heat was very oppressive and
the dust very annoying. Well dressed
people in their comfortable carriages
dashing along the road could see if they
cared to look, the wagons filled with
corpses, covered over with tarpaulins,
being taken into the town. Enormous
cheering crowds stood all along Tver
street and all over the plain, notwith-
standing.
The Emperor and Empress arrived at
the central pavilion, escorted by num-
Der of mounted officers, at 3 O'clock.
Nothing could be seen from this point Of
the terrible misfortune of the early morn
ing, although heaps of bodies were lying
not many hundred yards to the left.
In front of the imperial pavilion could be
seen closely packed area of uncovered
heads, extending back ovsr the plain as
far as the eye could reach. There must
have been half million of people pres
ent.
The payilions and tribunes were crowd
ed with gayly dressed spectators, and
everybody joined heartily in the loud
welcome given to the Gear. When the
Emperor and Empress appeared on the
upper balcony the cheering was accom-
panied by music and the singing of the
national hymn. The crowd Immediately
in front Of the pavilion was comprised of
choirs of adults and children, several
conductors on raised platforms beating
time. The imperial hymn was repeated
over and over again, also parts from
Gllnka's opera Life for the GAR
The Emperor, with head uncovered
and looking sad, repeatedly bowed his
acknowledgements, as also did the EN-
press On the lower terrace of the pa
Vilion was brilliant assemblage of I'M
perial and royal Princes, Prinoesses, Am
bassadors and distinguished guests. To
the noise of the cheers. singing and mu-