The San Francisco call., 1905-06-29
Red Flag Hoisted
on the Kniaz Po-
temkine.
EIGHT OFFICERS
ARE MURDERED
Their Bodies Cast
Overheard by
Sailors.
NAVAL BATTLE
TO BE FOUGHT
Black Sea Squad
ron HurrieS to
Scene.

ODESSAs June &S--lnC req nag Oh
revolution is hoisted at the masthead of
the Kniaz Potemkine, Russfa's most
powerful battIeship in the Black Sea,
which now lies in the harbOr in the
hands of mutineers.
The captain and most of the officers
were murdered and their bodies thrown
overheard in the open sea and the ship
is completely in tho possession of the
crew and a few officers who have
thrown In their lot with mutinecrs.
The guns Of tho kniaz POtemline are
trained on the city and in the streets
masses OF striking wOr.Kmen who Ned
before the yOIIcys of the troops are
now fnnamed by The spectacle OF open
revolt on board an imperial warsnip
and are making bold front against
thc military.
All day long firing has been heard in
many quarters of the city. A number
of barrfcades have been erected and
tumult and disorder reffya-
The main squadron OF the Black Sea
fleet, consisting OF tho battjeshIps
GeOrgf PObiedOEOsctz George the Vic
tOrtOus), Trf SyiatiteIia, ROstfslaS and
Ekaterina IL, with two cruisers, are
expected 10 arrive here Tonight, and a
regular naval battle is in prospect.
The rioters are in a most defiant
mood and are not inclined to surrender
without lighting.
Reports of the mutiny, which oc-
CURED while the battleship was at sea,
are difficult to obtain, as~the nutineers
refuse TO allow communication with the
shore. but ii is ascertained that it arose
from the shooting OF a sailor who was
presenting on behalf of the crew a
complaint against bad food. According
to one version, this sailor, whose name
was Omlltchuk, objected to the quality
of the borchtch," or soup, and was i'm
mediately shot down by a mess officer.
The crew then rose and seized the ship
and the officers, eight of whom were
spared on condition that they would
join the mutineers. The others were
killed and their bodies thrown over
board.
After q period of vacillation the
Kntaz Potemkine headed for Odessa and
arrived here last night, accompanied by
two torpedo-boats. Early to-day the
body OF Omiltchuk was brought ashore
IN one Of the battleship's boats and was
landed on the new mole, where il has
been exposed in semi-state all day. It
was visited by thousands of persons
many Of whom placed coins in a basket
at the head OF the body toward a fund
TO defray the cost of the funeral. which
the sailors purpose to hold tomorrow,
and which the strikers will make the
occasion for great demonstration.
An Inscription on the breast of the
dead sailor states on behalf of the crew
that Omiltchuk died for the truth, be-
cause he presented a just complaint Of
the crew.
The authorities have made no at
tempt TO remove the body, the sailors
having served notice that the shin
would open fire on any one seeking to
interfere with IL. A police agent visit
ing the spot was killed by strikers.
During the day a red flag was hoisted
on the Kniaz Potemkfne and members
of the crew rOwed from ship to shin
fn ethe harbOr, forcing the stoppage of
all work thereon Food was supplied
by sympathizers on shore. who pfIIaxed
the maritime storehouses.
The strike is now general in the city
and the rioters are growing in numbers
and boldness. There were exchanges
sof shots all day, but the number Of VIC
tins cannot be stated. This evening a
bomb was thrown in Cathedral PAL
ace, kllling Its thrower and a police
man.
o A telegram from the Mavor of
Odessa, who is at Moscow, imploring
the citizens to restore order. has heen
posted throughout the city.
During the day one of the torpedo-
boats which accompanied the Kuiax
POtemkine came into the harbor and
SeA1co nc Nusstah steamship Esper-
anza. The steamship was laden with
1000 tons of coal, which the battIeshfu
3 fs taking on board.
The Governor has telegraphed for q
squadron to be sent from Sebastopol.
The Russian battleship Kniaz Potem-
kline is heavily armored turret shin
of l2.48o tons, having a speed of about
seventeen knots She was completed in
1902 and belongs to the Black Sea aeat
The battleship mounts four twelve
inch guns. sixteen six-inch guns. four-
teen tn. e-inch guns and over twenty
smaller rapid-flre guns. She carries a
crew OF $50 men.