The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-01-26
WOrkmen's Effort to Present q
Petition to the Gar
Baked by Troops.
vOLLEY FIRED At THE MARcHERs.
The Estimates of the Killed and
Wounded in st. Petersburg Vary
From 500 to 5000.
II Is Predicted War With Japan VIII
End and Russia viii Have a
Constitution or the Gar
Lose His Head.

st. Petersburg. Jan. 23.-There wes
day of unspeakable horror in st. Pc.
tersburg The strikers, goaded to des.
peration by day of violence. fury
and bloodshed, are in q state of open
insurrection against the government.
A condition almost bordering on civil
war exists in the terror-stricken Rus
sian capital. The city is under mar.
tial law, with Prince Vasilchikoff as
commander of over $4,000 of the EN-.
peror's crack guards. Troops are biv.
ouacking in the street and at various
places on the Nevsky Prospect, the
main thoroughfare of the city. On
the Island of Vassili Ostrov and in the
industrial sections infuriated men have
thrown up barricades. which they are
holding. The empress dowager has
hastily sought safety at Tsuskoe Selo,
where Emperor Nicholas H. is living.
Minister of the Interior Sviatapolk-
Mirsky presented to his majesty the
invitation of the workmen to appear
at the winter palace and receive their
petition, but the emperor's advisers
already had taken a decision to show
a firm and resolute front, and the en-
peror's answer to 100000 workmen
trying to make their way to the pal
ace square was solid array of troops
who met them with rifle bayonets and
saber.
The priest Gopon, the leader and
idol of the men, in his golden vest
ments, holding aloft the cross and
marching at the head of thousands Of
workmen through the Narvagate, mi
raculously escaped volley which laid
low half hundred persons. The fig
ures OF the total number killed or
wounded here. at the Moscow gate, at
various bridges and islands and at the
winter palace vary. The best esti-
mate is 500 although there are exag-
gerated figures placing the number as
high as 5000. Many men were accom-.
panied by their wives and children.
The military authorities had a firm
grip on every artery in the city. At
daybreak guards, regiments. cavalry
aud infantry, held every bridge across
the frozen Neva, the net work of ca
nails which interlaces the city, and the
gates leading from the Industrial sec.
tion, while in the palace square, at the
storm center, were massed dragoon
regiments, infantry and Cossacks of
the guards. Barred from the bridges
and gates, men, women and children
crossed the frozen river and canals on
the ice by twos and threes, hurrying
TO the palace square. where they were
sure the emperor would be present to
hear them.
But the street approaches to the
square were cleared by volleys and
Cossack charges. Men and women, in
furiated to frenzy by the loss of loved
ones. cursed the soldiers, while they
retreated. Men harrangued the
crowds, telling them that the emperor
had foiled them and that the time had
come to act. Men began to build bar
ricades in the Nevsky Prospect and at
other points, using any material that
came to- hand and even chopping down
telegraph poles.
Towards 5 o'clock in the evening
shS SioWuo' CAhouotcu, ucSdu W us
perse. leaving the military In posses.
sion. AS they retreated up the Nevsky
Prospect the workmen put out all the
lights.
A member OF the emperors house
hold is quoted as saying that this con-
flict will end the war with Japan and
that Russia will have constitution or
Emperor Nicholas will lose his head.
The strikers manned and held a
small edifice at the corner Of the ad,
miralty gardens and poured out con.
stant objurgations and reproaches at
the troops. II was in vain that officers
requested them to disperse.
"We have come to present our hon.
age and grievances to the emperor"
'Let the emperor come out and hear
us; we do not wish to do harm. Long
live Nicholas II. II he only listens to
our grievances. we are sure he will be
just and merciful." I'VE can not long
er endure our sufferings. Better die
at once and end ALL" Such were the
cries repeatedly heard from many
strikers