The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-01-26

ST. Petersburg, RUssia.-The sacr!-
fee has been made. Thousands have
fallen. willing martyrs in the of
/. human liberty, in the belief that their
blood Will seal the doom OF Russian
tyranny and oppresS.on.
Not since the massacre Of st. Bartho!-
onrew:s Day has a civilized community
witnessed s:ch a massacre IS stains
the latest page OF Russian history.
Its victims cannot yet be numbered.
The official estimate puts the number
OF dead at 21O0 and the wounded at
5000.
The last, act of the bloody drama was
the deliberate slaughter of hundreds
of onlookers in the centre Of the city.
After. all the organized attempts OF the
insurrectionists TO march to the Winter
Palace had failed, Il large body OF
Cossacks was urn loose by the au-
thorities against 80, 600 people standing
in the streets, with orders to kill with
out mercy.
The murderous command was ODeyed
to the letter. The carnage which fol-
lowed has no parallel in modern rec
ord. The fierce horsemen cut dow
with their sabreS all within reach.
Those who fled were shot at with re-
VOivers and carbines. 4
It is said that the authorities CONF
mitted this atrocity with the deliberate
purpose Of terrorizing no. only st.
Petersburg but all Russia, and qllench-
ing the rising flames of revoiution
throughout the Empire.
Never was there q greater mistake.
Instead Of exciting terror, the mas
Sacre- has already inspired Il rage such
as nothing but revenge will satisfy.
This found its first expression an
hour ago, when a crowd surrounded an
old man i'll Il Generals uniform riding
IN 4 carriaga. They tore him from
the vehicle ard killed him.
CHASTITY. indeed, would this days
work Of slaughter have been if it had
been the result of a sudden outcall Of
the troops to save the city and its rul-
ers from an overwhelming force Of
bioodthirsty revolutionists, but more
horrible than the massacre itself is the
story Of how it was brought about.
1t was rot the outcome Of mad pas
sion, but was a cold, deliberate plan of
Russia's rulers. Every man killed was
carefully sheDherded to his death.
Every one has wondered why during
the last few days the strikers were al
lowed 10 meet and organize their peace
frl demands in practical freedom. 1t
might have seemed to be the dawn of
more lenient treatment, out it was i'll
reality the Governments method of
collecting its victims, that its blow
might fall more surely and more
deadly.
The police themselves proved this,
for they define their own position in
the following terms:
We We're forbidden to prevent any
spread of the strike Or development
of revolution. We were ordered to
stand aside, and it was left to grow
ripe for the army"
Minister of the Interior S%viatopolk.
AIirsky presented to his Majesty a.
night the invitation Of the workmer
to appear at the Winter Palace the
following afternoon and receive their
petition, but the Emperor's advisers
had already taken the decision to show
a firm and resolute front, and the En-.
per0r;s answer to the 10000 workmer
trying to force their way to the Palace
Square was a solid array of troops who
net them with rifle. bayonet and sabre
The figures Of the total number killed
o. wounded at the .Narva Gate, the
Moscow Gate, at various bridges anC
islands, and at the Winter Palace vary
THE best estimate is 500, although
there are exaggerated figures placing
the number as high as 5000.
Many men were accompanied by, theil
wives and children, and in the confu
sion. which left no time for discrimina
ton, these shared the fate of the mens
The troops, with the exception OF
b Moscow Regiment, which is report
ed TO have thrown down it's arms, re
manned loyal and obeyed orders.
The military authorities had a firm
grip on every artery in the city. Al
daybreak guard regiments, cavalry an6
infantry held every bridge across the
frozen Neva, the network of canals
which interlace the city, and the gates
leading from the industrial section
while in the Palace Square, as the
storm centre, were massed Dragon
regiments, infantry, and Cossacks OF
the Guards. 49,.
Barred from the bridges and gates
men, women and children crossed the
Bath Iron Works Transferred.