The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-07
Four Hundred Reported to Have
Been Injured, Six So Serious
1y They Died.
1000 WERE SURROUNDED
THEN WHIPPED AND TRAMPLED UN-
DER FEET BY HORSES. =
Situation SeriOus-Strike Spreading
An Epidemic of Incendiarism
I'm the Oil Region.

LONDON, Aug. THE Daily Mails Niko-
laieff correspondent, under date of Aug.
2, fully confirms the Times correspondent s
accounts of strikes in South Russia. Tie
correspondent says that quarter of mill
lion men are affected, and that simultane-
ously strikes occurred over vast indus.
trial area. He says the amount of studied
organization and well-concealed prepara-
tions was unprecedented in the troubled
annals of Russian labor. Prices of the
necessaries of life are rising by leaps and
bounds. Groups of men who assembled last
Saturday with the intention of holding a
meeting were driven into solid mass by
500 Cossacks, backed by two lines of in
fantry with fixed bayonets, about 1000
strikers being closed in on by a double
Gordon. The Cossacks rode through them,
striking right and left with heavy whips,
the fallen men being tramped under the
horses feet.
when the living mass had been thor.
oughly kneaded to the governors WILL
continues the correspondent, numerous
men were arrested as suspected agitators-
The infantry then marched off, and the
strikers scattered in a dozen directions,
with Cossacks at their heels. 1t is rumored
that 400 strikers were more or less seriously
injured, and that from six to a dozen sue
cumbed. The whole affair is typical piece
Of administrative savagery. The extraor-
dinary feature of the movement at Odessa
Is that the police and gendarmes belonging
to one depot threatened to throw off their
uniforms and risk all the terrors of in
subordination unless the miserable pit
lowed daily was increased and the hours of
labor reduced. Siberia is losing its terrors
even for Russian policemen.
1.-THE epidemic Of incendarism is spread
ing through Russia Scarcely a day passes
without news of confiagrations. At Baku
alone the destruction has been colossal
Tens of millions of gallons of naphtha have
been burned. In twenty-four of the largest
towns the damage from fire during the past
month is estimated at $780, 900 to $S5 OOO, 900
The object of the most fires is to get in
surance money. Many of the incendiaries
are Jews, and the insurance companies in
some cases have raised premiums 50 per
cent. Public opinion in Odessa is entirely
on the side of the striking sailors and
stokers. A wealthy. company which has
been employing men for years has only paid
sailors at the rate of 25 shillings a month "
The Times this morning prints dispatch
from Kieff. Russia. dated on Aug. l.
which says tha; General Arznieff Governor
of the district of Odessa, and the mayor OF
Odessa, together with a committee of In
fiuential citizens, have induced the tram.
way strikers to resume on the distinct un-
derstanding that their grievances will be
considered and concessions granted. Gen
eral Arznieff received instructions July 81
from St Petersburg enjoining him TO re-
frain from active interference with the men
provided they maintain order and obeyeo
the police. In the event the mob became
recalctrant he was directed TO have the
troops fire blank cartridges. and then, II
necessary. three rounds of ball cartridges
The correspondent gives details of the
riots similar to those contained in the ac.
counts of the Daily Mails correspondent
He says the strikers made no serious at.
tempt To resist the police. and that Genera
Arznieff's actions are freely condemned as
unwarranted and precipitate. He says
This collision has caused a feeling of pair
and indignation over the ruthless method:
of Russia's strong man, Won Plehve, ts
whose above mentioned instructions il wa.
due.
The Standards Odessa correspondent
under date of Aug 2, says that all the
trades have now resumed work: that the
strike is practically ended. but that the cit,