Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-21

cradle further accessions to the ranks
of the strikers are expected In the
course of the day In pursuance OF. q
plan to enforce a general strike.
Five thousand men are parading the
streets of the Basil island district.
compelling work shops, printing works
and small shopkeepers to close. sss
Petition Asks Change.
A petition to the emperor Is now cir.
culating at the workmen,s meetings
for signatures, It bitterly complains
of the desperate conditi ton Of the work.
ers and OF their deprivation of hui
man rights" The petition expresses
devotion to the emperor and concludes,
Be nlerciful to us, let us live; if thou
leavest us in this position we prefer
to die"
Stores and Factories Closed.
AS the day progressed the ranks OF
the strikers were rapidly augmented.
Practically all the small establish.
ments in St Petersburg are already
closed In response to the demands OF
the strikers, while printing works and
tobacco factories are following suit.
Troops have been called out.
Conspiracy Not Denied. y
London, Jan. 20.-The st. Peters.
burg correspond of the Daily Elk.
press says:
ut is now admitted that the shoot.
ing Of yesterday was the result OF
conspiracy. The men Of battery Of
horse artillery charged with the firing
n a ia "a irH Sxr,tAy
case shot and pointed it directly at the
pavilion occupied by the czar. It's
elevation was much lower than that
of the other guns. The bullets used
we're obsolete, but can easily be oh.
tained
THE police admitted that they had
received warnings Of the possibility OF
violence happening during the cere.
mony Of blessing the waters of the
Neva. They searched for clews In
vain. The quay was watched for sew.
eral days, and divers even were sent
down into the river under the ice be-
fore the pavilion to search for floating
mines. Nothing suspicious was
found"
Accident or. Conspiracy
st. Petersburg, Jan. 20. - Was 1t an
accident or was it conspiracy to take
the life of the czar? This is the ques-
ton the Russian police are trying to
solve.
The present official news lis that the
affair was an accident First In sup
parting this view 1t Is pointed out that
the battery belongs to the innermost
circle of the imperial body-guard, its
officers being exclusive members Of
families that are regarded as being am
mated by loyalty to the core.
Captain Says Mistake.
The Grandduke sergius Michaelo-
was standing In the ice pavilion near
the czar when the shot was fred. He
is leading in prosecuting the inquiry
| into the affair. He, with the others,
saw the flash from the third shot and
instantly the policeman fell. The
grandduke thought the policeman had
been overcome by the cold until blood
was seen on his head Then the grand
duke crossed the palace bridge and
asked the firing captain of the battery
what he meant. The captain replied
that the presence of the grape shot In
the gun was accidental. The officers
and the men Of the battery were
placed under arrest
Grape Shot for Strikers.
Supporting the accident theory. II IA
stated that cases of grape shot had
been served to all batteries in ST.
Petersburg, yesterday morning In an
ticipation of a clash with the strikers.