The Washington times., 1906-08-24
FIRE TERROR NOW
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Desperate Muzhiks Are
Wreaking Vengeance on
Great Mobiles.
RED TORCH SWINGING FREE
Landowners Wake in Night to Find
Their Mansions n Flames and
Fortunes Lost.

ST PETERSBURG. Aug. 24-Ia a
story called "The Tocsln." Russia's
latest novelist. Andreycf. thus describes
the fire. terror which hangs over the en-
pire.
In this not ominous summer every
thing burns Whole towns, whole VIZ
Iages burn; the forests and fields that lie
between TO more protect them: the de-
fenseless woods burst into fame and a
fire sheet, like q red rag. sweeps across
the witnered meadows. All day long
tie red sun hides ochtno purple. cnok-
ing smoke; all night. red flames flicker
aiong the horizon. People look at one
another with frightened eyes and talk
[ loudly Of arson and mysterious inceu-
diaries
The Teuors Of Russia.
This is a faithful picture OF the ter
rors OF Central Russia under the
Jacqu=rie now raging. The mUzhik,
! despaiTiHg Of freedom. despairinE of the
I land which be wants stiI more, cOWed
( by the government, Is taking vengeance
on the mobiles and landlords, whom he
I finds an easier prey. House after house
! goes up in flames.
The n,uzlik is not bloodthirsty. He
wants land, not lives. The Gar says
the land is ours. CO." he saws 10 the
noble. Usually the noble obcys FJhe
muZhiE nTes his house. cuts down his
/ forest, and reaps bis corn. And 20 show
/ that he does this out Of q pure sense
| Of justice. he as often as not burns fur
uitUre. vaiuables. money. without steal
/ ing the value Of one cent
Crooked Legs" the Agenr.
I'm saraton, the empires most revolu-
ti0uaTy province. the muZhIK is so
/ scrupulous that he shrinks from hand
/ ling an lncendiary torch himself. He
/ employs as instrument a certain 'Kriv-
onog." OF Crooked Legs" a half-witJed
! savag -bow-leEged. long-armed, with
blOod-shot eyes and an unearthIy yell.
/ This fury was for years locked up as
a maniacal incendiary. The enraged
muzhiks now employ him 10 set fire
| 70 houses. hay riczs and barns.
/ Concealed all DAY, Crooked Legs" is
brought out after dark, driven 20 the
music of JacObin songs 10 the mobiles
| house, and handed a flaming torch.
/ The house goes up IN flames. The noble
and his family escape TO the nearest
I town, and next night the tragedy IS re-
/ peated elsewhere.
AN luCluCAL u AGlAULs
Sometimes ENJOYS from the peasants
offer 70 spare the mobiles house if he
surrenders his land In Tambon prov
/ ince NJ. Sergeyetf. a rich land owner,
tried 10 save his property by accept
/ ing this offer. The muZhiks put q guard
around the house 10 protect it, But
/ Sergeyef treacheroUsIy sent messen-
/ ger TO town. and back with the mes
/ seuger came hfry COssacls who poured
a volley into the rebels. The ring
/ leaders were fogged-
The muzhiks. however. proved TOO
/ clever. They spread a false Tumor that
an attack was being made on the house
\ of another noble in the neighborhood.
/ The C0ssacks rode thither tn hot haste,
] and when they returned found Sergey-
/ ens house in flames. and his dead
I body nailed 10 tree.
His House a Furnace.
/ often the noble. unwarned. wakes up
70 find his house a furnace. Such was
the fate Of N. Schipkin. another Tam
bon land owner. who fed down burn
[ ing staircase and feH dead from shock
on his doorstep. 4 -elghboring manor
! house was fred from four sides while
the inmates were asleep.
! in TuIa. near Count Tolstoy's resi-
/ dence, seventeen 10bi5s we're ournt out
lunder similar conditions around ore
/ house q pitched battle ragged for seven
hours The landlord defeated the muz-
hiks, descended on their village and
burned forty cabins. Thus the FIRE feud
+ spreads.
/ OF course. even in Russia you cannot
tburn houses with impunity on the
heels Of incendiary crime hastens equal
Nv lncendiary justice when the muz-
hfl,s burn the mobiles palaces the Cos
sacks burn the muzhlks' villages. II
the peasants DO not get land and justice
I before the next douma meets the
douma's FIRST problem will be how 70
provide a burnt out empire with walls
and roofs.