The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-12-15

| ~ASA- 5Ss uCuOhotI oSioh, III
participants in which included large
numbers of students of both sexes, be-
gan at midday Sunday in the Neysky
prospect and lasted about two hours.
Hundreds Of police and mounted gen.
darmes, who were hidden in the court
yard of the public buildings, emerged
and suddenly charged the crowd at full
gallop, driving the demonstrators in
headlong confusion and screaming with
terror upon the sidewalks and into adj
jacent streets. This led to serious en-
counters, so persons being more or less
severely injured. Large numbers were
arrested.
Not since the riots Of 1901, when Cos
sacks, stretched across the Navski pros
pect 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 LASH
night got wind of the big anti-goverpe'
ment demonstration planned for today
by the Social Democratic party to de-
mand an immediate end of the war and
the convocation Of 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 Cathe-
dral. At the same time extesiye prepar-
ations were made to quell any disturb
ance. The police on the Neyski pros
pect were increased six times over and
the devorniks, or house porters, were
marshaled in front Of their respective
buildings. Half dozen squadrons OF
mounted gendarmeS were maSSed IN
the rear Of the Gasean Cathedral, and
battaliops Of reserve police were sta
toned in several court yards out OF
sight. Minister of the Interior Syiato-
polkMirsky 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.
The newspaper warning, however,
by giving notice to those not apprised
of the prospect OF a demonstration. de-
feated the very object Of which they
were designed, attracting seemingly the
whole population Of this vast city to
the broad throughfare; and long be-
fore the hour 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
tangled mass of sleighs, filed mostly
with the curious. In throngs on the
sidewalks, were practically the 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 Gasean Cathedral.
The police, recognizing that the critical
moment was approaching, tried in vain
to keep back the human tide. The2.
when there was not single mounteH
policeman in sight. on the strike ofN
o'clock, from the heart OF the thlckjy
wedged crowd a blood red flag, like
let of fame, suddenly shot up. 1t was
the signal. Other flags appeared in the
crowd, waving frsntically overhead;
and they were greeted with a hoarse
road. Down with autocracy." The stu
dents surged into the street, singing the
..Marseillaise." while innocent specta-
tors. seeking to extricate themselves
crowded into doorways and nusged
walls. Dismounted police MADE a SIN
tI,os,~ rr-lU N
crowd to wrest the flags from the de-
monstrators, but the students ana
workmen, armed with sticks. STOOD
close and beat back their a55ailants.
Then. like a fash, from behind the
Kasean Cathedral, came squadron ol
pendarmie. The doors OF adjoining
court wards were thrown back, anu
hattalions of police came out. A dou-
BILE squadron charged the flank OF tne
demonstrators with drawn sabres. five
other souadrons circled the mob. cut
ting through the frings OF spectators.
who gladly scurried to cover. The main
wedge Of the demonstrators seooo ide'
only a moment or two.
There was sharp rattle OF cuageis
and sabres, though the wounds showed
that the police struck principally WIN
the fat of their sabres: The women
we're especially fierce In their resis-
tance. Many were struck and tram
Piled, and blood streamed down their
faces.
While the mob stood. those within
managed to throw hundreds OF revo-
lutionary proclamations over Ihe
heads of their fellows. The ponce
urged their horses fiercely into the
crowd, driving those who resisted INTO
the court yards. the Hotel Europe and
the Catholic Church. The intense ex-
citement lasted about ten minutes, al
ter which mounted squadrons OF the
aanaarmarie nafrnlIa.' the streefs
and the policemen devoted thepseiVes
to keeping the crowd movingl
Considering the sharp fight the riot
ers had up, the police acted nu-
namely with the crowd. avoiding oru-
tality and roughness in keeping inc
throng moving. and showing really :
more consideration than the police OF
many cities would under similar