New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-12

sons were injured and more than a hundred ar
rested in riots which began here this afternoon.
and which were at last quelled by the police
and mounted gendarmes. Not since the riots
of 1901, when Cossacks stretched across the
Nevsky Prospect from building to building
charged down the boulevard from the Moscow
station to the Neva. has the Russian capital
lived through such day of excitement as this
The authorities last night got wind OF the big
anti-government demonstration planned for to-
day by the Social Democratic Labor party TO
demand an immediate end of the war and the
ing every paper this morning In black faced
type was an explicit warning to the people at
their peril to desist from congregating in the
Nevsky Prospect near the Kazan Cathedral.
At the same time extensive preparations were
made to quell any disturbance. The police on
the Nevsky Prospect were sextupled. and the
dvorniks house porters. were marshalled in
front Of their respective buildings. Half a
dozen squadrons OF mounted gendarmere were
massed in the rear of the Kazan Cathedral, and
battallons of reserve police were stationed in
several courtyards out Of sight The Minister
of the Interior Prince sviatopolk- -Mirsky gave
strict orders, however. that no Cossacks should
be used and Fulton, chies of police, issued ex-
plicit directions to avoid harsh measures. unless
they should become absolutely necessary.
The newspapers warnings, however, by Civ
ing notice to those not apprsed of the pros
pect of demonstration. defeated the very OBJ
ject for which they were designed. attracting
seemingly the whole population OF this vast
city to the broad thoroughfare.
Long before the hour fixed. despite the plead
ing of the police who literally lined the side
walks the throngs on the pavements were so
dense that movement was almost impossible.
while the snow covered boulevard was black
with tangled mass Of sleighs. filed mostly
with the curious In the throngs on the side
walk was practically the whole student body
of the capital including many young women
who have always been prominent in Russian
liberal and revolutionary movements and also
thousands of workmen belonging to the Social
Labor party which had planned the demonstra-
ton.
Toward l o'clock the workmen and students
seemed to swarm toward the corner of the Hotel
Europe opposite the Kazan Cathedral The
ro1.ce. recognizing that the critical moment was
approaching tried in vain to keep back the
human tide.
When there was not a single mounted police
man in sight. on the stroke of 1. from the heart
Of the thiclly wedged crowd. blood red flag
like a let Of flame. suddenly shot up 1t was
the signal
other flags appeared in other parts OF the
crowd waving frantically overhead; and they
were greeted with hoarse roar. Down with
autocracy," The students surged into the street
singing the "Marseillaise." while innocent spec
tators. seeking to extricate themselves. crowded
into doorways and hugged walls
Disnounted police made single attempt to
force their way into the crowd to wrest the
flags from the demonstrators. but the students
and 1vorkmen. armed with sticks stood close
and beat back their assailants.
Then. like a fash. from behind the Kazan
Cathedral, came wheeling a squadron of gem
darmerie TIE doors of adjoining courtyards
were thrown back and battalons of police came
out A double squadron charged the flank Of
the mob with drawn sabres. Five other squad
rons circled the mob. cutting through the fringe
Of spectators, who scurried to cover.
The main wedge of the crowd stood fast only
a moment or two. There was sharp rattle of
cudgels and sabres. though the wounds showed
the police struck principally with the fiat of
their sabres The women were especially fierce
in their resistance Many were struck and
trampled down. blood streaming from their
faces.
While the mob stood. those within man.
aged to throw hundreds OF revolutionary
proclamations over the heads of
their fellows. The police urged their horses
fercely into the crowd. driving those who re-
sisted into the courtyards, the Hotel Europe and
the Catholic church. The intense excitement
lasted about ten minutes. after which mounted
squads of the gendarmerie patrollsd the streets
and the policemen devoted themselves to keep
ing the crowd moving
Considering the sharp fight the rioters put up.
the police acted humanely with the crowd. avoid
Ing brutality and roughness in keeping the
throng moving. and showing really more con-
sideration than the police of sona American
cities would do under similar circumstances
IN the mean time those confined IN the court