The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-02-01
IUNTlnC THE BLACK BANDS
Graphic Account Of Work Falling to
Lot OF the Patrol in Rus
sian City.


A Russian correspondent writes:
THE suburbs of Moscow thin quickly
into gardens AID bare spaces among
the wooden villas in which the we'll
to-oo people spend the summer, ard
the roads are rough and devious. No
lights guide the passenger on these
bitter nights of winter; the Black
bands have the darkness on their side.
At the back OF us the city on its hills
twinkle through the suow. The patrol
was only five strong. hut the men of
It knew the ground as they knew the
palms of their hands They were all
young and all civilians. informally en-
rolled to repel the gangs of roughs
whom the police incite to riot and
murder. The men walked warily from
cross-road to cross-road muiiled In
their furs. WITH ample overcoats that
Tell in wide folds about the loins AMI
legs. Under his coat each man wore
a carbine. slUng from his neck by a
lanyard he had hut to unbutton and
the gun was free for use They were
OF various classes in the community,
for in hose days every man must take
up his own defense and lend his per
sonal weight to the cause of order az"
security. Two were students. clean
built. keen young fellows. who had
done their share on the Darricades; oae
was a shopmau of 90 years. almost
glceru in the throng of events.
charmed with the recurrence Of vivid
happenings. a brisk aud imaginative
boy who rCvelcd In his share in his
toric doiugs. The fourth was the son
of a wealthy merchant, whose sleel;
furs CLEANED richly in the glow OF his
cigarette; and the last was a painter
whose sister had been blinded by a
whip-cut from a Dragon in the street.
Once. lar away, we heard two shots;
some other patrol had seen something.
For US. midnight came. and we halted
under a hedge to eat chocolate ana
Al JUN ~ bAihNH ~ NV - W 'hN tN''N''
talked briefly among themselves with
bated voices. for even on them the
uisht had fixed It's weird. and a loud
word would have made one start. The
rich mans son was Of opinion that We
might as well 90 home to bed; but
the two students and the shopman re
-. ..F q b.. .rI no had hHnT1
and when the chocolate was eaten We
moved on We were punched together
q little warmer now. and they were
telling me of the brushes they had al
ready nad with the enemy. when the
painter. who was ahead again, pulled
out his carbine and fired. The flash
cut a groove IN the night like a streat
of lightning. and from somewhere 10
the darkness a few pistol shots pune
tured the murk with brief stars. My
companions raced up. and In a mo
mcnt the guns were out.
The painter was pointing, and the
shopman had dropped on one knee
WIN MS NdIulut ~ MS oho"iHN'
There was second Of search with
the eyes; thought, but could not be
sure. that saw a movement. and then
the shopman fred and the others got
TO work after him. Their eyes, old at
the game. saw what was invisible 10
NE; almost at once a cry Travelled 70
us athwart the snow and the patrol
men laughed between their shots Only
pistol fire answered them; for the
bands do their numbering at close
quarters as yet; but no bullets reached
us. and the thing was over In the time
one would take 70 till a pipe.
we heard them shouting TO one al
other as they drew of. and for a min
ute or more the pistols spat futile.y
at us. In half an hour. at the poiut
where one turns on To get back 10
the city tha, CLEANED over ones shoul-
der like a fleet at anchor we met po-
licemen. three of them. They grinned
at US aud asked for cigarettes, and
we told them OF the man we had
bagged."