Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-28
st. Petersburg, Oct. 81. IA
state Of siege has been proclaim
ed at Kharkoff.

st. Petersburg, Oct 27.-During the
afternoon the widest rumors were
spread and the city was seized with a
semi-panic The students of the uni
yersity in the Vassili Ostrov district
announced that they intended to hold
the building as the students of Khar-
koff held their university against the
military, and to hold big meeting to-
night, to which the workmen of all
the social groups are invited. Gen
eral Trepoff dispatched troops to sur
round the building and trouble is
momentarily feared. The strikers
have succeeded in stopping the ma
chinery at the electric light plant and
the city is plunged in darkness.
Incendiary Fire at Warsaw.
Thorn, Prussia, Oct. 27.-A message
from Warsaw today says that the in
cendiary fire which started there last
night has not been ex.inguished and
that one part Of the city is in flames
Telegraph Wires Down.
Warsaw, Oct. Photographic COM
mnnication between Warsaw and st.
Petersburg, MOSCOW and Kberlin was
severed today as consequence of "a
fire IN the te1egraphic Office The
strike Is In full swing at the factories
here.
Strike at Lodz.
'Lodz, Poland, Oct 27.-Employes of
all the local factories and street car
lines and suburban railroads have
struck.
VIII Shoot to Kill.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 27.-Warnings
to the people that in case Of disorder
the soldiers will fire ball cartridges
was posted on every street corner to-
day. The city Is calmer on the sur
face under the rigorous measures
adopted.
General Trepoff, in order to restore
confidence, directed that all shop
keepers take down the boards from
the shop windows and the order was
complied with.
Reforms Are Promised.
st. Petersburg, Oct. 27. - The great
railway strike has brought substantial
reforms In sthe Russian government.
Emperor Nicholas, following the ad-
vice of Count Witte, has bowed to the
people and in an effort to save the EN-
pire from anarchy has granted what
is practically constitution. The
project, which was put in the hands
Of Count Witte for elaboration, has
been accepted in skeleton by the czar
and contains the following features:
Ministry responsible alike to the
crown and the representatives of the
people,
Practical freedom of the press, of
speech and Of meeting.
No1y 1or., for 4bo4roo,,1o,~ III 81,
giving it more power and :: much
broader scope.
Reforms to Come Soon.
AS result Of series of special
ministerial councils, held under the
presidency of Count Witte, whom the
car elected to represent him, for the
purpose Of meeting the situation the
new laws have been put. in form and
will be promulgated forthwith.
Apprehension apparently prevails in
imperial circles, 1t is $reported that
the imperial yacht Polar Star is lying
off Cronstadt, constantly under steam,
and that the smaller yacht Strella is
held In waiting at the wharf of Pet
erhof for emergency use.
Count Witte, even in advance of his
formal appointment as premier, COM
plClNly doluludISS Lie SlLuaLlOu.
Interesting details have been learn
ed regarding Count Whites interview
with Emperor Nicholas last week, at
which it was agreed that the time had
come to limit the autocratic power
and give the people real share in the
government of the empire.
Gar is Utterly Unnerved.
g The emperor asked Count Witte to
speak frankly. and after listening to
the statesman's exposure of the situa-
ton he appeared to be utterly un.
rlerved by the deplorable state of af-
fairs. and cried out that he was weary
of the struggle and felt like. leaving
all and fleeing to Darmstadt, hence
probably the origin of the report that
the emperor was going abroad.
Count Witte. however told the en-
peror that in his opinian not even a
republic could now save Russia from
anarchy. 1t was the ernperor's dpty to
the people and the country to face the