The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-01-27
THE SCENE WAS AWFUL.
Terrible Slaughter in the Palace
Square.

st. Petersburg. Jan. 24-The most har-
rowing scenes OF the day occurred
around The palace square. The enor-
nous place back OF the winter palace
IS surrounded by gardens fronting the
admiralty by a vast semicirc,lar
building containing the offices of the
general staff, the ministry Of finance
and the foreign Office. In he center
or the block is cut on arched gateway.
surmounted by a bronze quadriga. The
gateway serves as an entrance to the
Grand Morskaiai, one of the most fash
ionable streets in the city, which cross
es the NeVsky prospect. Beyond the
semicurcular building IS a wide space
leadfng to the Moikai, and beyond this
stands an enormous square building,
the headquarters of the St. PETERSBURG
military district. From there Grand
Duke Vladimir had issued orders for
the whole military preparations, direct
ing the days operations. In the center
OF the square stands an immense gran
lite statue of Victory, commemorative
the defeat of the Napoleonic Invasion
at which a veteran II. II uniform of
when the Mssoc affea l. p s.amas, corrs-
.<spondent arrived at the palace square
early in the morning he found a con-
siderable crowd of demonstrators al
ready lining the railing of the adj
miralty garden II the boulevard. The
square itself presented the appearance
of a military encampment. Several
companies of the Daviovsky and Preo-
~brajensky guards had piled their arms,
while The men We're sitting around
campfires or stamping on the snow to
keep warm. Beyond the infantry stood
%squadrons of the Chevalier guards and
the horse guards without their lances.
cIirasses or the usual gay trimmings.
The men carried carbines slung across
their shoulders, and their stirrups were
covered with felt or straw to keep off
the cold. An The soldiers wore bash
likas. or hoods. to protect their ears
from the keen, searching wind. A field
kitchen teamed merrily, disseminating
the fragrant odor of viands- Many of
the men wrestled or boxed, cracking
jokes as one rolled in the snow. A
whole row of ambulances drawn up
near the palace served as ii grim re-
lninder of the stern business on hand.
Many brought their wives and chill
dren. You soldiers are our broth
ers; o cannot shoot these little
ones" they exclaimed. But as the
pickets and patrols continued driving
off the people the demonstrators began
to give a and the bitterest insults
and oaths. in which the Russian vo-
cabulary is particularly rich. became
frequent.
1 I'VE are not japanese: why brutal
ize us? Will you shame the mother
who bore you. who was Il Russian like
ourselves?" We're some of the cries that
We're heard.
Later such expressions as "scoun-
drels!' "Mercenaries!" "Dogs!" and
worse We're heard.
Every time the troops moved the
crowds Missed them. Strikers also gath
cred at the entrance of the Grand Nor
skaiai n the avenue leading to the
Moikai II The crowd at the latter
place sweiied to huge proportions, seek
ing the bridge across the canal.
The order came at 1890 a. m. TO
clear them off. The colonel command
ing the horse guards uttered a short.
sharp command: the troopers drew
their swords inc advanced at "a quick |
trot and then broke into a sallop. head
ing straight for the Moikai, where they !
We're lost In a cloud of snow. Shrieks
from the wounded resounded. Then
came a, deadly silence. broken only by
the galloping of ambulance horses
The next twenty minutes passed
without incident. Nothing indicated /
the approach of the horrible butchery
which was destined to stain the corner
pf the admiralty gardens with human
blood. The crowd there persisted in
refusing to move on, clamoring for the
and continually hurting abuse
at the troops, but attempted no VIC
lence. Two companies of the Proeb-
ranjensky guard, of which Emperor
Nicholas himself was formerly colonel. :
which had been standing at ease in
front of the palace, formed and
marched at double quick towards the
fatal corner. Events followed with
awful sWfftness. The commanding Of
shouted. "Disperse! Dispersei Dis
perse!" Many turned to fee. but it was
late. A bugle sounded and the
men IN the front ranks sank 10 their