New-York tribune., 1905-07-05
THE OFFICIAL REPORT
Governments account of the Odessa
Riots and Matiny.

St Petersburg. July 4.-The governments
story OF the riots at Odessa as published in THE
Ofleial Messenger" has been in great part COW
cree III the statements made In official quarters
Afier describing the activity OF the socialist
revolutionary committee in stirring up the strik-
ers ashore and the arrival OF the mutinous
crew Of the battleshp Kniaz Potempine at Odes-
sa on June p. the account says:
The mutiny OF the warships offered TO the
revolutionary committee a good opportunity TO
liiIueilce the masses. The committee visited the
hatueship and assured the mutineers that the
garrison OF Odessa had laid down it's arms and
that the whole Black Sea squadron had Joined
The crew or the knlaz Potemkine. According TO
eyeW1tnesses, officers took an active part in the
councils on board the battleship especially TWO
goung cadets. The results of the anarchist in
trlgnes among the workmen and mutinous sail
ors became Immediately evident.
Ihe troops We're unable use their arms
asalast lne crowds OF wOrkmen in the vicinity
Of the harbor for fear of the posstbiIitv of an
ennladlng nre from the battleship. The harbor
therefore, was a. the mercy Of the mob. which
plIlageo warehouses and vessels. broached casks
OF VINE and spirits and started a drunken orgy.
WIN mghu2l the fires started by the rioters
soon attained terrible dimensions Nearly every
Ining IA the harbor was destroyed the mob re-
tnsmg 10 allow the nremen 10 fight the flames.
among The properties destroyed were the
warehouses and stores OF the Russian Naviga-
non and Commerce Company. the agency and
stores OF the Danube Navigatior Company the
Bais stores on the Platanon piers the odessa
1arbor railroad station, the harbor masters
OluCes, part d The warehouses OF the Roseysky
ana flosnnlne companies the new pier the
shipping office on Platanoff Pier part of the
eoal depot al the buildings Of the Quarantine
t1arbof, twenty wagons and six steamers he
longing 70 various companies The railway
freight sheds were pillaged. and many rioters
and lOoters were burned sltt,a while tr,ro~,.,oa
Several times in the night of June 2S the mob
attacked the troops and police with revolvers
out each time they We're scattered by volley
from Jhe soldiers The number Of rioters killed
or wounded is Vet known but must exceed
several hundred. The damage can only be es-
unated ia the millions OF rubies
None OF the representatives Of the foreign
powers suffered The oonsuiates were guarded
On June - a state Of war was proclaimed ana
the city was cOrdoned by troops The disorders
then ceased.
The story confirms the report that the Kniaz
PotenNine on the evening OF June 20 fired three
blank shots as prescribed by the Russian naval
code for the funeral OF a sailor. and fouowed
these with two live shots. destroying part Of a
house. Otherwise the battleship did no damage
The government report then relates the ar
rival of Rear Admiral Kruger's squadron on
the morning Of June 80 as follows:
As The squadron approached the Odessa pier
the kniaz Po1emkine cleared for action ad-
vanced 10 meet il and cut through its line AS
the kniaz Potemkine passed the nutineers re-
celNed a welcome from the crew OF the Georzi
PobiedonOsetZ- Admiral Kriiger thereupon sig
nailed the squadron TO swing round and return
10 se5astopol, but the crew Of the Georgi Po-
ir4t-ttSNAL prevented lfiEE vessel following
ana put ashore all their officers diSarruAd wffb
the exception of Lieutenant GrigOrieff who blew
OUT his brains on the advice OF the revolution
lists committee Of twenty was elected 10 take
charge Of the vessel under the direction OF a
ooatswain's maie apparently against the alters
viii.
Dissension prevailed among the GRAN, or,,
part Of which Influenced bv the -evolI-
ttOnisJs. The hniaZ POtemlEine threateDed 70
fire on the Georgi PObisdOnosetz II she tried 70
rejoin the squadron at Sebastopoi. The anti
evolutionary section. however, ultimately
gained the upper hand, and when, in the after
noon ~ july J. the two battlsships weighed an
chor. the Cieorgi PObiedonosetz put on full speed
entered the harhor. and sent the boatxwatr's
mate and some sailors ashore signify her sub
mission.
The report, which VIII be printed ali over
Russia. contains mention Of the prominent
part which the Governor reported the Jews took
g. inciJing the rioting and in cooperating with
the mutineers board the Kaiaz Potemkine
and the Georgi Pobiedonsetz. II is learned
that General Trepof forbade ali reference 10
the Jews, believing that mention OF them would
only serve TO excite the people and perhaps lead
10 reDrisals not only al Odessa. but elsewhere.