The Washington times., 1905-08-02
Poor RQtiOnS Caused
RepOLt on POten1kin
Testimony of Sailors Is That Wormy Meat
Was put Before Them-FoIowing This
Thirty Were WrongfuIIy Arrested.

KUSTENJI. Roumania, Aug. AT 1
o'clock. on the evening of July II. 1 de-
scended from the Oriental express, and
an hour later I had the good fortune Ia
meet several Russian sailors. who,
thanks to al Interpreter, related to me
the stirring events in which they had
played a part.
On the following day I saw at the
Communal Hospital Able Seamen Ivan
CazIenco, KovaIiof, and Ilisselaf; saw
also. at NJ. Aagrin's, Sergt. Maj. Feodor
Pogoiretz. called Petrol; then I went TO
Yassy. Braila, Galatz, Calarashi. and
Berlad In these various places I took
the testimony of number of sailors
Thus succeeded by combining the
various accounts. by using what some
told me for questions TO others. in re-
constructing the story Of the tragic
day of mutiny on board the Knlaz Po-
temkin. It is as follows:
The Kniaz Potemkin left Sevastopol
On June a to open sea maneuvers. The
next day it reached the designated
place. off Odessa, where they We're 10
experiment with the new guns.
All Seemed Well
Everything s1~eaed peaceful on board.
a torpedo boat was dispatched TO Odessa
for provisions 1t returned at mid
night.
For breakfast on June 26 ''borsch,"
Russfan BROTH. cooked with the meat
purchased at Odessa, was served TO the
sailors.
i. Without a dissenting voice they cried
Z that they would not eat the 'borsch.
the meat being spoiled and full OF
worms. Nevertheless. certain sailors did
eat the soup. and so their declaration
did not become known in the cabin.
The day following, the soup was re-
made with the same meat This time all
the sailors refused to eat.
Commandant Gelerow<ky, second in
command, and a second lieutenant. came
along and demanded to know why no
body ate the soup. Several sailors replied
that the meat was tainted. Thereupon
the officers returned 10 the wardroom
without saying a word.
Officer Starts Trouble.
Nothing might have happened if the
i, lieutenant had not seated himself at the
table and remained Thoughtful without
touching his food
Why do yeu not eat?' inquired Com
mandant Golkiff
How can one eat" replied the Off
Ger, when we have on board 500 men
Who refuse their food?"
An ominous silence followed.
For some time past the commander of
the batueship had heard rumors of a
conspiracy against the officers and OF
the threatened mutiny OF the crew. So,
after q moments reflection. he called
Sergeant Major PogoWentZ and ordered
him 10 have the crew beat 10 service
quarters on the main deck. When they
were assembled. the commander said;
FfaNH do v4raT nat Ia ErFaTV7
There was no response.
Commander Golikoff repea ted his
question sum no voice came from the
crew, The second cOmmandant said:
'.They do not eat because the meat
given them is TGii g worms
\ murmur OF approval came from the
ranks OF the crew.
Surgeon Against Crew.
''Dr. Sniriuofg," cried the comman-
dant Is il true that this meat is full
of worms
The surgeon saluted, and approaching.
said:
'-Commandant, this meat Is fresh; il IS
healthfuI; it Is good, 1 have never seen
better
Lieutenant Gelerowsky turned upon
What. good? I have seen ii myself;
il is alive with vermin!'
The surgeon, with q dark look, then
J. came from Odessa; since then | have
had IL s2lted; it is now good and tlt 10
At these words the commander raised
his hand
Enough for the present, he said
when the surgeon says the meat is
good, It is good. Those who are content
TO eat the soup win step % the rights
those who are not 70 the LETT.
: Slowly. one by one. the sailors passed
10 the right. But they moved with the
step OF men who act against their VIII
butt was discipline
When there remained only about thir
" men who had not vet gone overall
though these We're preparing 10 move
the commander stopped them
The First Arrest.
Enough" he said Marines, arrest
those men.
Then the marines-eVen those who
had q short time before complained
went after their arms and surrounded
their thirty comrades The commander
went aft to his cabin.
One moment later &astutchenko, n
sergeant nla jor. with q wild look in his
eyes, sprang between decks and pres
emily returned with rife. lie drew
himself up before the officers, crying;
w hat would you do with those men2
Hou are going 10 shoot them. Has not
enough blood already been shed IN this
RUSSIA after the murders OF Lao Yang
and Mukden OF St. Petersburg. and
Warsaw-after these the murders of the
PoTeInkin? Enough! We might as well
right here. put an end TO this reign OF
barbarity Long live free Russiat Death
TO the officerst There are more OF US
than you. We are the masters. Down
with tyranny
The second lieutenant, almost frantic,
interposed:
Hold Thy tongue, my, poor fellow. or
thouIt be shot Instantly
III IS thou yho wilt be shot yelled
Nastutchenko, as he presented his rife
A Shot Is Fired.
The lieutenant drew his pistol and
nred. He missed AIastutcheulSo. but a
sailor named Vakulenchonk fell dead
There was a moment Of stupor, then
AastutchenIio cried: Assassin! Thou
hast slain Vakulenchonkl What hath he
done 10 thee. He was Innocent
With these words he fired on the heu-
tenant and The officer fell with blood
dyeing his blonde mustaehe Then fol-
vowed a period of great confusion. The
sailors ran about asking each other what
should be done.
PCgoWEetz threw overheard the drum
with which he had beaten the men 10
quarters MasIutchenkO shot TWO Of