Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-11-07
TURNS PIRATE.
Russian Torpedo Destroyer Cap
tured by Her Crew and
B0MBARDs THE CITY

''AuiVostock' and Severe Battle
Takes Place in Which Several Pee,.
| PIE Are Killed-Five LOYAL War
Vessels Engage the Mutinous Boat.
Which Is Riddled and Run Asbor,
The Crew Killed or Captured.
| roisting the red flag at the siguaI
masthead, the torpedo boat DESTROYER
SKory' captured by her mutinou.
crew. steamed out into the harbor of
| Viadfvostock Thursday and imme-
o>ateiy opened fire on the CITY.
This act. following the mnsinv or
battalion Of army sappers. who at.
lacked and almost captured one of
| tne barracks, has terrorized the peo.
PIE and the city is under martial
law. soldiers are patroling the streets
NO one may venture from his home
after dark on pain Of arrest.
The mutiny on board the Sl<oyv
was not even suspected bv be- corr
mander. Lieutenant Stoer. who Says
his life in the defense of his shin
when the crew arose at dawn and
loVerpowred the officers. They were
melted to this act by agitators from
the city, who had managed to GET
on board during the night through
the consent of a sympathizer with the
revolutionists. s
| The moment the mutineers obtain
ed the upper hand they slipped the
cable anchoring the destroyer near
four other war boats, and steamed
out into the horbor, while a red flag
was run up the signal halyards.
Not only did the Skory shell the
city, but the mutineers returned the
fre OF the forts, and of the four 9TH
er destroyers and two gunboats
Taking position that would COM
mand the city and regardless of their
exposure to the fire OF the harbor
fort, and of the other destroyers, tha
mutineers began to hurl sheels into
the forts and city. Every gun of the
Skory was worked by the mutineers.
who appeared to realize that In the
end they were doomed and were de-
termined to wheak all injury they
could while they had the power.
The sheels of the Skory burst Ia
many parts of the city. One shelf
was aimed at the city hall and burst
ing near it destroyed one corner or
the building. The gunners on the
mutinous boat were experts. and
many people were blown to pieces In
the streets by the bursting shells.
Many houses were destroyed.
Fire started in many places in the
city five minutes after the mutineers
opened fire. The close range of the
Skory. which was not more than !
fourth of mile out, made the aim
more deadly.
The torpedo boat destroyers Car
sovoz Smelly and Serditz and the
gunboats Mandschur and Raw
steamed out and engaged the pirate
destroyer, and a pitched naval bat-
tie began $50
me harbor fort, manned by the
Iwelfth Regiment of Artillery. add
ed its fire to that of the torpedo boar
destroyers and the gunboats. ana
soon riddled the mutineers' craft
The Skory's tunnels of sheet stee,
were torn to pieces. the fragments
killing many of the crew. Her armor
plate was pierced by shells, and her
decks strewed with dead and woupt3-
ed.
But her pilothouse encased I'm
steel, was not damaged. and the
steersman, who had been manouever-
ing in short circles. so that every
gun could be used, turned toward the
shore
must soon sink AS last desperate,
move the Skory was run through the
heavy surf and beached.
When the few survivors struggled
through the surf from the blood
stained decks they were met by SOL
diers, who manacled them and drag
ged them to cells. Some of the SUR
vivors were bayonetted by the troops
before the commander interfered.
Many men were killed and wound
ed on the loyal boats. Captain Kur-
osch. commander OF the torpedo boat
Ravy. was torn to pieces by one OF
the Skory's shells. Lieutenant Vas
siief. of the Serditz, was wounded.
All Of the destroyers bore marks of
the Skory's fire. One American was
wounded in the city.
The uprising of the Sappers Bat
talon was an unexpected asSt the NUT
my. Their attempt to take a barrack
was defeated by the use OF machine
guns by the rifle regiment quartered
there. A score of the insurgents were
killed and wounded and the others
routed. N6 ~
PICKED UP MESSAGE.