The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-23
BLOODY SUNDAY.
First Day of the Russian Revolution
in St. Petersburg.

in St Petersburg.
ST. Petersburg. Jan. 23.-Sunday
was a day of u~nspeakable horror in
St. Petersburg. The strikers goaded
to desperation by a day of violence,
fury and bloodshed, are in a state of
open insurrection against the govern
ment- A condition almost bordering
on civil war exists N the terror
stricken Russian capital. The city is
under martial law, with Prince Vasil-
chlkon as commando Of over $4,000
of the emperor's crack guards.
Troops are bivouackfng in the
streets and at various PAGES on the
Nevsky Prospect, the main thorough
fare of the city. On the island Of
Vassiliostrov and In the Industrial sec
tons Infatuated men have thrown up
barbados. which they are holding.
The empress dowager has hastily
sought safety at T~sarkoe-Selo, where
Emperor Nicholas II is living.
Minister of the Interior S~viatopolk-
Mirsky presented to his majesty the
invitation of the WOrkmen to appear
at the Winter palace Sunday afternoon
perOr's advisers already had taken q
decision to show a firm and resolute
front and the emperor's answer to
100000 Workmen trying to make their
way to h palace square was a solid
array of troops who met them with
rife. bayonet and SABRE.
The priest Gopon, the leader and
idol of the men, in his golden vest
menus. nOlQllB AlOII the cross ana
marching at the head OF thousands of
workmen through the Narva gate, mi
raculously escaped a volley which laid
half a hundred persons.
The figures of the total number
killed or wounded here, at the Moscow
gate, at various bridges and islands
and at h Winter palace vary. The
best estimate is 500. although there
number as high as 5000. Many men
were accompanied by rneir wives and
and i'll the confusion which
left no time for discrimination, the
shared the fate of the men.
The troops. with the exception of
a single regiment, which is reported
to have thrown down its arms, re-
NAMED loyal and obeyed orders. But
blood which crimsOned the snow
fired the brains and passions of
lie strikers and turned women as we'll
rs men into wild beasts, and the cry
Of the Infatuated populace is for ven
yeance- The sympathy of the middle
classes is with the workmen.
If Father oDO the master mind of
he movement, aimed at open revolu-
ton, he managed the affair like a gen
Jus to break the faith of the people in
the little father whom they were
convinced and whom Fathe Gopon had
them to believe, would right
heir wrongs and redress their griev-
Gorky, the Russian novelist. ex-
presses the opinion that Sundays
Ecrk will break the faith of the people
II the emperor He said to the Assoc
hated Press:
To-day inaugurated revolution in
Russia. The emperOr's prestige will be
rrevocably shattered by the shedding
IF innocent biood He has alienated
himself forever from his people. GopOn
the workmen to believe that an
direct to the little father would
BE needed They have been undeceived.
sopon is now convinced that peaceful
means have failed and that the only
aRmP6W IS force The first hlnn6 h1El
,een shed, but more will follow It is
low the. people against the OppressorS,
nd the battle will be fought to the
litter end"
The military authorities had a firm
rip on every artery in the city. At
aybreak guards, regiments, cavalry
nd infantry held every bridge across
frozen eve the network of canals {
rhich interlaces the city. and the gates
from the Industrial section,
lille in the palace quaTe, at the storm
enter, were maSsed Dragon regiments,
lfantry and Cossacks OF the guards.
Tomen and children crossed the frozen
Iver and canals on the ice by two and
there they were sure the emperor would
g present to hear them. But the street
pprOaches to the square were cleared by
oneys and COssack charges. Men and
fomen. Infatuated to frenzy by the loss of
1ved ones. cursed the soldiers while they
Men ~harangued the croWdS,tell-
lg them that the emperor had foiled
hem and that they had come to act. Men
cyan 10 build b~arrlcades in the NeVsky
and at other points, using any
laterial that came to hand. and even
hopping down telegraph poles.
Fighting meantime continued at various
laces, soldiers volleying and charging the =
lob. The whole city was in a state of
anic. Women were running through the
treets seeking lost member of their fam
les. Several barbados were carried by
ne troops.
Toward 5 O'Clock in the evening the ]
exhausted, began to dispense, leav-
the military in possession. AS they
rorkmen put out all their lights.
The little chapel at the Narva gate was =
on the Kaminostov island an the lights {
ere e-xtinguished. !
nperor, who was found alone, was ]
A general was killed on the
IlchOlas bridge and a dozen officers were =
eized. stripped of their ~epaulets and de- :
rived of their swords. |
It is rumored that M. Witte will be ap- [
oInted dictator. but the report is not con- 7
rmed. The authorities, while they seem 7
, realize the magnitude of the crisis with /
mich the dynasty and the autocracy are ;
on account of Sundays events, :
pparently are paralyzed for the moment. :
An official statement was promised at g
Midnight at. which hour it was announced
1aI It had been postponed till today
reused al over heussia- The workme S
nd revolutionists expect news from Mos :
ow and other big ~centers, where the :
uard regiments Of St Petersburg. X
A member of the ernperor'S household is 6
uoted as saying that this conflict will /
nd the war with Japan and that Russia q
i'll have 4 constitution or Emperor Mich :
viii lose his head. !
The Warsaw and Baltic railroad is re- |
orted to have been torn up for a mile :
a half, but the damage is said TO c
ave been repaired. q
There are rumors of trouble in Finland f
nd disanection of the troops.
With darkness it was feared the mob
light begin to loot and pillage and even
urn. but beyond the break king of a few
in the Nevsky Prospect and the
of the fruit shops. little disorder
as reported Most of the theaters were n
-osed. but at the Peoples Palace, which !
as open, two Liberals attempted to ha-
angue the audience. proposing at the