Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-03

Coluiy away ana gave the OTdeT 10 SHOOT
the man down.
sailors Capture Barracks,
Earlier accounts of the Cronstadt trou-
bic have been largely incorrect. The NUT
ineers never went 70 Fort Constantine.
The plan Of the uprising was conveyed by
the revolutionary committee. While It was
executed to the letter. It failed because the
information of the situation at Fort Con-
stantine and the arsenal was faulty. When
the signal was given at II o'clock at night
the sailors, sappers and pioneers left their
barracks and divided into three groups.
The mission of the first and smallest group
was to kill the officers. the second was to
take possession OF the arsenal and the third
was to seize the fortress and the train. The
train crew had agreed In advance to be
really. Revolutionaries cut the telegraph
and telephone wires. ftgas
The horrible task Of the first group was
accomplished hurridly and IL then Joined
the second group which was already on
the bridge Leading to Fort Constantine.
This is the only fort directly connected
with the mainland, the others being de-
tached islands. The sentinels on Fort Con-
stantine offered no resistance. The artil-
lerymen remained neutral and submitted to
imprisonment in the easements.
II was at this time that the sappers and
pioneers. who comprised the two groups,
found themselves checkmated. The bat
teries OF the fort are arranged in two
tiers The guns on the lower tier can be
swung an arc of ,forty-ive degrees
and command only the sea, while those Of
the upper tier are on pivots and can be
pointed in any direction. The magazine,
however, while containing a full supply OF
shells for the lower tier guns had In II
only two shells for the gums OF the upper
tier. When. therefore the stormng party
later brought up field and machine guns
the mutineers were without the possibility
OF using artillery and were compelled TO
surrender. Their flag, inscribed with the
words, Land and Liberty" which they
hoisted on entering the fort was hauled
down.
About 100 of the mutineers including all
the revolutionary civilians escaped in a
steamer, which was lying on the port.
Capture of Fort Constantine.
To the sailors, who were practically I'M
armed. their carbInes having been taken
from the racks in their barracks by order
Of the commandant, the day before, fell the
task of capturing the arsenal. This proved
easy, but to their amazement the men
found It practically empty.
with the exception OF a few old-style
guns there was neither artillery nor am
munition TO be found. The sailors then
made an unsuccessful attempt to release
their comrades of the Seventh equipage.
Then, after hasty consultation, they de-
cided to return to their barracks and bar
ricade themselves in. In the meantime the
loyal troops were closing in and several
s<irmshes had occurred. The sailors had
only automatic revolvers supplied by the
revolutionaries. During these encounters
most Of the casualties occurred. Once the
sailors were inside the barracks the loyal
soldiers Immediately surrounded the build
ings, but II was decided to be preferable 10
starve them out than to compel the men
OF one arm of the service to fire upon
their comrades OF another arm. About 800
sailors who became separated from the
main body on the return march to the
barracks were cut of and captured. As
far as can be asoertained everything was
practically over At o'clock in the morning.
The steamer on which the mutineers took
refuge was not captQFed, II is believed
to have sailed for -sveAboTg in the belief
that the mutineers were still in possession
there. All persons leaving Kotlin island
on which Cronstadt is situated. are thor
oughly searched and detained in case they
are open to the slightest suspicion. This
is done in the hope OF catching the agi.
lines are in possession Of the troops. The
public is not permitted 10 use them. In
Cronstadt the correspondent OF the Asso
slated Press found the population mo-
mentRrily expecting the appearance OF this
rebel fleet" After midnight there was
glow. I'm the heavens I'm the direction OF
Cropstadt, but later II was found that &
came from a FIRE on the mainland. Thre,
other fires Were raging at the same time
one on VsssiiH ostyov and two In the df
rectlOn OF the Narva gate, near the Balti,
railSoad station,
Goyernment Issues statement.
THE government this evening issued tn,
foltSwing account of the Cronstadt AFFAIR;
Yesterday evening disorders broke out a
Cronstadt. Sailors Of the fourth equipag
OF the fleet left their barracks after /
o'clock and Joined crowd awaiting then
In the street They proceeded toward tn
residence OF the coamandant OF the port
A detachment Of infantry was immediatell
summoned and hrsd on and dispersed tn
crowd simultaneously the agitation dis
played itself In other equlpages OF the feet
Sailors began 70 assemble outside OF thei
thes quarters. Meanwhile the members o
the fourth eouipase and the populace hal
reah>smbled and prectpitsted themselve
toward the arsenal IN IA endeavor 20 fore
the gates, but they we're again dispense,
by tie infanrry and quick-fring guns. Evi
Inonlent OF the appearance OF the rioter
q red TAG was hoisted on the fort Whic
the rioters occupied This fort was bonn
baEss6d and toward $50 In the morning IN
rioters surrendered.
In the course OF the conflict with tn
crowd the following were killed.
Naval Captains Rodlnien. Dobrowelsky
Schoitmon and StayanoWskY
Monnded: Rear Admiral Becklemchen
Captains Krinitzk and Patton and Ensig
Maltaen.
Order was restored this morning. Tn
Fininski regiment OF the Imperial guar
has arrived at CTonstadt.
Message 40 MuttneerS.
II e stated that the garTison Of Fort