The age-herald., 1901-04-25
AMERICAN CONSUL UPHOLDS RUSSIANS Says Story of Gossack Charge is Purely Fictitious EMPEROR IS NOT FEARFUL Report That His Rooms Are Lined With Boiler Iron Is Denied
 By Colonel Hollo-
 way,
EMPEROR IS NOT FEARFUL

Indianapolis, April 24-The editor of Journal is in receipt of letter from Colonel W. R. Holloway. United States Consul General in St. Petersburg. dated April g, in which these statements are made:
 T have just finished reading the edi- torial in your issue of March 24 entitled Revolutionary Signs in Russia am convinced that the American papers print a greater amount of transformation about Russia than all the other countries of the world put together. The stories recently put out by the American press concerning the alleged riots in St. Peters burg are largely fakes, and while they are published under recent date lines, were not sent by the agent of the Ameri- can Associated Press at this place, but were made up from sensational reports that reach Berlin, Vienna and London. No intelligent person here believes that the students are largely nihilists, or in sympathy with that movement Like most large bodies of students all over the world, they. think they have grievances and they probably have, but they want to do as Sherman did when he marched to the sea-as he pleased-especially on their anniversaries. but the authorities do not agree with them.
 "The statement that the cossack caval- ry charged on the masses of men and women and cut and slashed them right and life was manufactured out of whole cloth Nothing like it occurred.
 alrt aI near the center of the largest part of the crowd and I was standing on the front steps of the Cathedral when the alleged charge was reported to have occurred. The sidewalks on both sides of the street 0were for four squares, crowded With peo- pie attracted by curiosity and all the cossaoks, who did not even have their arms, as they usually do, did was to keep the people moving to prevent their blocking the same.
 T never saw better natured crowd, and while there were number of stu dents moving about, I did not see or hear of one creating the slightest disturbance. 1 stood on the cathedral steps for a few minutes watching the crowd. when about twenty cossacks came toward the central door, where they halted, l supposed they were signalled for, but did not know why they came until afterward and learned that some students went into the cathe- dral smoking cigarettes. looking for row, aud were ordered to desist but re- fused; and in the efforts of the attend ants to eject them one of the students threw a stone at an Icon and broke the glass front, and two or three chairs were broken, but while l. with others, stood within thirty or forty feet of where the disturbance occurred, I did not hear of 1t until late in the afternoon.
 "The stories to the effect that the Elm peror's office and living rooms are lined with boiler iron and that he is hourly in fear of assassination are rot. The Elm peror and Empress drive about as usual, unattended by a single guard or footman, as Is their habit.
 "St. Petersburg is as quiet and orderly a city as either Washington or Indian apolis, and while I have no means of knowing how many nihilits there are In this city, I do not believe they are as nu- merous as they are in Chicago, and there is nothing like as much lawlessness here as there is in that city, nor as many mur ders as there are in Indianapolis. The police seem to be advised of disloyal movements and prepared for any emer gency that Is likely to occur. No we'll informed person here seems to have the slightest fear of any serious trouble with either the students or the nihilists,"