The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-16
TROOPS CHARGE VAST MOB.
Wild Scene i'm st. Pctersburg-Great
Anti-GOycrnment Demonstration
n Measures Taken TO Prevent IL
Caused Excitement UncquaIed Since
the Riots of 1901.

st. Petersburg. December IA popu-
lar anti-government demonstration, the
participants in which included large
numbers of students Of both sexes. be-
gan at midnight in the Nevski prospect
and lasted about two hours. Hundreds
of police and moutned gendarmes. WI
were hidden in the court yard of '.6'
public buildings, emerged and sue Muy
charged the crowd at full galliec driv.
ing the demonstrators in headlong con-
fusion n screaming with terror upon
the sidewalks and into adjacent streets,
This led to serious encounters, so per-
sons being more or less severely in
Jured. Large numbers were arrested.
Not since the riots of 1901, when Cos
sacks, stretched across the Nevski pros
pect from building to building, charged
down the boulevard from the Moscow
station to the Neva, has the Russian
capital lived. through such a day Of
excitement as this. The authorities last
night got wind of the big anti-govern-
ment demonstration Planned for today
by the Social Democratic party to de-
mand an immediate end Of the war and
the ~convocation Of a national assem-
bly, and this evening in every paper
in black-face type was an explicit
warning to the people, at their peril,
to desist from congregating in the New
ski prospect near the Kasean Cathedral.
At the same time extensive prepara-
tons were made to quell any disturb
ance. The police on the Nevski pros
pect were increased six times over and
the dvorniks, or house porters, were
marshaled in front Of their respective
buildings. Half a dozen squadrons of
mounted ~gensdarmes were massed in
the rea- of the Kasean Cathedral, and
battalions Of reserve police were sta
toned in several court yards out Of
sight. Minister Of the Interior Sviato-
polk-Mirsky gave strict orders. how
ever, that no Cossacks should be used.
and the chief of police issued explicit
directions to avoid harsh measures un-
less it should become absolutely neces-
sary.
WARMING SERVED TO INCREASE
CROWDS.
The newspaper warnings. however.
by giving notice to those not apprised
of the prospect of a demonstration.
defeated the very object of which they
were designed, attracting seemingly the
whole population of this vast city to
the broad ~thoroughfare; and long be-
fore h hou fixed, despite the plead
ing OF the police, who literally lined the
sidewalks. the throngs on the pave
ments were so dense that movement
was almost impossible, while the snow
covered boulevard was black with a
tangled mass 81 sleighs, filed mostly
with the curious. In throngs on the
sidewalks, were practically n whole
student body Of the capital. including
many young women. who have always
been prominent in Russia in revolu-
tionary movements, and also thousands
OF workmen belonging TO the Social
Labor party. Towards l o'clock the
workmen and students seemed to swarm
toward the corner of the Hotel Europe.
opposite the Caesar Cathedral. The
police. recognizing that the critical mo-
ment was approaching. tried in vain TO
keep back the human tide. Then, when
there was not a single mounted police
man in sight, on the stroke Of I o'clock.
from the heart OF the thickiy wedged
crowd a bloody red flag. like a jet Of
name. suddenly shot up IL was the
signal. Other flags appeared In the
crowd, waving franticaIly overhead
inc they were greeted with a hoarse
roar. Down with a~utocracy." The stu
dents surged into the street. singing the
"Marseiiiaise," while innocent specta-
tors. seeking to extricate themselves.
crowded into doorways and Rugged