Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-01-27
The Russian Revolution.
Hundreds Shot Down in st. Petersburg
Women and Children Among the Vlc-
tims-city Guarded BY Fifty
Thousand Men.

I
accused by the shooting down Of hun
dreds of men and women who, led by
Father Gopon, bearing a sacred ikop,
were trying to reach the palace, con
tident that the Gar would see them
and hear their appeals.
1t was Sunday OF horrors in the |
Russian capital. Their march to the |
palace was cut short by bullets and IT, e |
Infatuated people, their faith in the
Emperor shattered, cursed him and the |
autocratic government aud started 10
riot and pillage. A general was killed
and several other military officers
wounded.
Gorky, the Russian author, s'ls:
"RevOlutlOn has begun in Russia The
Emperor's prestige will be irrevocably
shattered by the shedding of innocent
blood. The first blood has been shed.
more will follow. 1t is now the peO-
pie against the oppressors and the bat
| tie will be fought TO the bitter end "
A mem Der of thu Emperor's house
hold declares that the vii conflict VIII
end the war with Japau and that Rus
STA will have constit ution or the ztr
will lose his head.
Minister of the Interior Svatopolk
| Mirsky presented to the Gar Saturday
night the invitation of the workmep
| to appear at the Winter Palace Sun
day afternoon IL I'D receive their peil
ton, but the Emperor's advisers al
iready had taken d decision 30 show
firm and resolute front. and the En-
peror 3 answer to 100, 900 workmen try
ling to make their way to the palace
lsuuare Sunday was solid array OF
troops, who met them with rife, bay
onet and saber.
There was q very drama .ic scene al
the Narva Gate when Father Gopon,
| in golden vestmenlS, gearing aloft an
ikon and fauked by two clergymer
carrying religious banners, approached
at the head of procession OF S,0O'
| llOopo WC'C vi avn Nt
across the entrance.
Several times an officer called up0r
the procession to stop, but Father 20
Don did rot falier Then an order wal
given to fire, first with blank cart
ridges. The volleys rang out, but tn
lime still did not waver. Then, witt
seeming reluctance, an officer gave tn
|, command to load with ball, a nd tn
| next volley was followed by shrek an'
cries of the wounded.
III As the Cossacks followed up the vo
ley with charge the workmen fe
before them, leaving about 100 dea
or wounded. 1t was evident that th
soldiers deliberately spared Fathe
Gopon. One of the clergymen by hl
side was wounded, but Gopon escape
| ntouched and bid behind a wall unit
II the Cossacks passed, and be was the
III spirited away by workmen.
III Tine figures of the total number kllle
| or wounded there, at the Moscow gat
at various bridges and islands and
the Winter Palace vary. The bel
estimate is 800, although exat
| gerated figured placing the number
| high as 900. Many men were accoI
| panied by their wives and childre
and in the confusion, which left
time for discrimination, the latt
| snared the fate of the men.
The troops, with the exception OF
single regiment. which is reported
have thrown down its arms, remain
loyal and obeyed orders. But the bio
which crims0ned the snow has fired
brains and passions of the strikers
. turned women as we'll as men into W
beasts, and the cry Of the infuriat
populace is for vengeance.
The sympathy of the middle elias
=. is with the w0rkmen.
If Father G0pOn, the master MIND
n the movement, aimed at open revo
" ton, he managed the affair lik'
genius to break the faith Of the PEG
!, in the Gear who they were convinc
- and whom Father Gopon had tau
them TO believe, would right tn
wrongs and redress their grievance.
A municipal building in the sect
district was on Monday demolished
IN rioters. Affairs are again taking
IIvI an ominous aspect. AT meeting
strikers at the Putoloff Iron Works
the morning. a resolution was pa
cult expressing 1t as the intention OF
, ,eru strikers to continue the struggle
inst the last drop of blood.
i nea The government has decided III
!, in the most stringent measures to Oh
'un- the populace today. All the street
the city have been closed and IN N
}. places the water supply has been
It of 1t is reported the admiralty We
,fnG at Sevastopol are ablaze and burn
the furiously. The report that the
LEY miralty works at Sevastopol are br
!, or ing. is confirmed.