The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-09-14
KILL AND BURN AT BAKu.
Rioters In Caucasia Beyond Control OF
Troops.

Anarchy reigns without q rival in
the Caucasus. The troops are power
less to protect the people, who in a
mad panic have been fleeing from
Baku. Martial law has been proclaim
ed in outlying towns, but it has no
effect in curbing the rioters in their
mad lust for blood. Fire and massa-
ere have nullifed every semblance of
law.
The principal fighting is not in Baku
itself, but at Balakhan, where hun
dreds have been shot by the infantry
and artillery and where 1000 were
killed or wounded during a desperate
attack on the military camp and pro-
vision depot. The troops sustained few
casualties.
A large number of workmen barri-
caded themselves in the Balakhan hos
pital. The soldiers began the attack
with rifle fire and then stormed the
hospital and completed their work with
the bayonet. The entire oil and COM
mercial quarters of Balakhan, Sabunto
and Nomani have been wiped out by
fire and the inhabitants remaining be-
hind were massacred and thrown on to
the flames.
The consulates, banks and admins
tration buildings in Baku are guarded
by troops All of the English residents
and almost all other inhabitants of the
better class have boarded ships and
gone to sea to escape from danger. All
available steamers have been employ
ed for this purpose. Nobody is allow
ed on the streets of Baku after
O'clock at night and inhabitants OF
houses are held strictly responsible
for shots fired from them. Artillery
was employed against one house from
which shots were fired. The walls
were preached, the house was stormed
and the people inside were killed.
Following is q brief review, in Sc
quence, of the events of the last few
days as witnessed at Baku:
On the afternoon Of Saturday report:
began running from mouth to mouth
that the Tartars and Armenians were
massacring each other. Immediately
there was great alarm and panic pre-
vailed. Stores were closed and window:
and doors were barricaded. Twenty min
utes later sounds of rifle firing were
heard from the various quarters Of thu
city and everybody wished to flee, bu
nc one could tell whether safety LAY
within or without the city.
lc<4 of ool-,
and other soldiers armed with rifles be
gan to arrive from the barracks ant
these troops Immediately engaged thu
rioters. The firing between the warning
factions continued all of Saturday night
Sunday the situation showed no improve
ment and firing was in progress all dur
ing the day, the streets being deserted
except for the combatants.
At o'clock Sunday evening the frs
reflection on the sky of fire in the "bacl
town" quarter was noticed, and it wa
learned that the Nobel oil reservoir
were burning.
Sunday night was more fearful thai
the preceding ones. Fires broke out il
several quarters and the firing of tn
troops was uninterrupted.
of Balakhan and Sabunto. Telephoni
communication between Baku and Ties
points was destroyed and it was impossi
hle to ascertain what was burning Mon
day morning.
Many of the inhabitants decided t
brave the dangers in an effort to leav
the city. They went in cabs surrounds
by Cossacks to the railroad station, an,
the flight from the city soon became gen
eral.
Monday night the burning, shooting
killing and pillaging continued, and
refinery which was in flames beyon,
Bibiebat lit up the sky in that direc
ton. A big woodward in Baku ais
caught fire and a strong wind flames
the flames, which soon spread to Nikitil
circus and adjacent houses.
The fire continued all of Tuesday
breaking out in several new places, EN-
bracing the railroad station and mum
Der of Armenian houses in different quar-
tiers of the city.
During Wednesday, fugitives iron
Balakhan began to arrive here and toll
of the indescribable horrors they hat
witnessed. All the oil works there, the.
said, were in the hands of Tartars, wh'
were pillaging the houses of Russian AM
Armenian workmen, carrying away ev
erything of value and then burning tn
buildings. Ten thousand workmen, the.
said, would be left in poverty.
At 5 o'clock Wednesday afternoon thu
situation was somewhat quieter. Tar
tars and Armenians were runnin;
through the streets crying Peace AM
little later a procession made up o
both races, with clergymen at its head
went through the town. But these eff
forts toward a cessation of the fghtin,
were not effective, Cor the firing Wen
on all Wednesday night. The soldiers
however, continued their efforts to re
press the disorders.