The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-11
POLICE TAKE
DOUKHOBORS
WILL BE SENT BACK TO THEIR
VILLAGES.
USE NO VIOLENCE
But Still Want to Continue Their
Gold March to Seek
Jesus.

Minnedosa, Man., Nov. 9.-After one
of the most exciting incidents in the
history of the northwest, the Douk.
hobor fanatics have been forcibly re-
strained, loaded in cars like cattle,
and are now guarded by a large de-
tachement of mounted police, who are
kept busy preventing the Russians
from throwing themselves from the
car windows.
A military special Of 10 coaches
will leave here with the army at 10
o'clock and unload it at Yorkton early
tomorrow, when the moutned police
will drive the Doukhobors to their
northern villages, ending, perhaps,
the most remarkable experience in
Canadian history. The Doukhobors
arrived here last night en- route to
Winnipeg. This morning they at
tempted to resume the journey with
the mercury standing at 10 below.
The government officials held them
with difficulty in a byroad until the
military special train arrived this ev-
ening at 1880 with 500 mounted po-
lice.
The fanatics were addressed by Of
1cials and told they would have to go
home. They cried, mo, we go seek
Jesus" Seibroff, their leader, harang-
ued his followers, instructing them
not to resist with violence. Two hun
dred farmers who gathered at the
train to see them, and 500 other cit
liens, surrounded them and offered
assistance. Twenty of the fanatics
broke out and made a rush up the
road to go east. Surrounded by a
crowd, they resisted desperately and
the police grappled with the leaders
and carried them bodily to the cars.
Seibroff, chief of the fanatics, had to
be taken to the cars 500 yards from
the road, in a wagon and when the
rest of. the fanatics tried to break
away al indescribable scene followed. |
Farmers, t~ownspeople and police |
threw themselves IN the Doukhobors |
and dragged or carried them to the
station. The latter encircled each 9th
er with their arms and seemed linked
together as by bands Of steel. While |
they struggled they gave voice to their
weird chant. All struggled so hard
that their clothing was literally torn
from their backs. For over an hour
the ground to the station was filled
with seething crowds and the excite
ment was intense, like as though 10
fierce football scrimmages were going
On at one time.
The Doukhobors refused to strike,
but struggled blindly for freedom.
Their captors, with blood warmed to
a hot heat by the strange struggle,
shouted and cursed as the b~loodless
battle became exciting, and when the
cars were reached another struggle
ensued. Stalwart police handled the
kicking Russians, who were thrust
into the dark, cold coaches like cat
IAS' "Au II tI1CW Iuciii-
selves against the windows and doors
barred to prevent their escape, and
confusion followed. During the en-
forced e%ntraining of the men a small
BLIZZARD sprung up, and the weather
became intensely cold.
The Doukhobors have been living
on wheat and raw oatmeal. Tonight
small quantities Of bread were thrown
to them.
Many of them are wrecks, but all
protest they will not leave Yorkton
for their homes when the train leaves
there. Only about IL out of 500 es-
capped and they are on the prairie in
a temperature that means death to
them. The action taken tonight was
instructions of the dominion gov
which said the pilgrims must
be sent home if they had to be car
ried.
At 1880 p. M. the Doukhobors are
locked in the coaches, struggling vain
ly for freedom to look for the Mes
siah. They sing and pray necessarily,
divine assistance to turn the
hearts of their captors and release
them.