Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-24
THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT
Of Russian Riot Appears in Messenger
FIR. Gopon Scored.

st. Petersburg, Jan. 23.-The story of
the events Immediately preceding and
during Sundays outbreak are viewed
by official eyes as given in the Official
Messenger, as follows:
All attempts Of the factory inspectors
to pacify the workmen were fruitless
and every worker from a number of
large factories joined the strike which
spread quickly and extended to nearly
all the works in the city. At the same
time the demands Of the men increased
and these were formulated in writing
mostly by Father Gopon. The employ
ers discussed the demands and decided
that If some of them were satisned IL
could not fail to ruin industry, while
others deserved to be examined ana
partially conceded. Furthermore, WILL
ingness was expressed to negotiate with
the men, but not with the strikers Or
ganization. The workmen refused to
agree to it and violated the negctia-
tions between the masters and men OF
the different factories. AS the strike
was being conducted without disturb
ance of public order no repressive
measures were adopted and not single
person was arrested.
The agitation of the wOrkmen'S as
sociation was, however, son joined by
the agitation of revolutionary circles.
On the morning of Jan. q, the Work
mems Association, led by Father Go
pom, appeared with openly revolution
ary tendencies. On Sunday, Father Go
pom drew up a petition of workmen to
the Emperor which contained, besides
demands in behalf of the men, insolent
demands of a political character.
Among the workmen verbal and writ
ten notifications were circulated urging
the necessity for meeting, Jan. y, on
the palace square in order through Fa-
Their Gopon to submit the petition to
the Emperor. One of the demands was
of a political character and the real
purpose of the meeting on the palace
square was concealed from the work
men. Fanatical speeches which Fa-
Their Gopon, forgetting his clerical dig
nifty, addressed to the men and GRIM
inaI agitation excited the men to such
an extent that, Jan. %, large crowds
proceeded to the center of the city.
At some points collisions occurred be-
tween them and the troops in conse-
uuence of their refusing to obey the
police regulations or owing to their di-
rect attacks on the troops. The latter
wer obliged to fire in the Schlusselberg
causway, near the Narva triumphal
gate, in Troitjki square and in the
fourth line in the Vassili Ostroff quar-
ter, in the Alexander gardens. at the
corner of Nevsky Prospect and Gogol
street, near the police bridge and at
tho KaSap cathedral
In the fourth line the populace erect
ed three barbados of planks and wire
On one of these a red flag was hoisted.
From the windows of the neighboring
houses shots were fired and stones were
thrown at the military.
The crowd tok swords from the po-
licemen and armed themselves there
with. They pillaged the Schaff small
arms factory and carried off about
hundred swords, a large number OF
which, however, the police recovered.
The crowd destroyed telegraph wires
and knocked down poles. The munich
pal building in the Second district was
attacked and demolished. In the even
ing five shops on the st. Petersburg
side were plundered.