The San Francisco call., 1907-03-31
ARTILLERY DEFEATS
REBELS OF R0UMAN|A
Peasants Armed With Forks
and Scythes Targets
for Grapeshot

BUCHAREST March s0.-Field guns
loaded with grapeshot, according to
Official reports. are winning against the
revolutionary peasantry, whose arms
are mostly hay forks and scythe blades.
The insurgents were able to hold their
own against the troops at close quar-
tiers, and even wfthstood cavalry
charges, doing terrible execution with
long-prOnged forks and scythe blades
strapped to long poles, but the slaugh-
ter since the troops used artillery ap-
pears to be terrifying them into sub
mission. In the district of Nlashica,
where the outbreak was particularly
serious, large numbers of insurgents
have surrendered and have denounced
their leaders to the authorities, with
the result that many OF the latter
have been arrested. The Government
hopes that with the leaders in Jail
the undisciplined bands viii soon aban-
don the field
The self-styled generals" usually
turn out to be country schoolmasters
and village priests. Many women are
fighting in the insurgent ranks and
some OF them have been found among
the killed, side by side with their hus-
bands, sons and brothers.
Details Of the attack made by the
peasants on Galatz show that a pitched
battle was fought The insurgents,
who were several thousand strong,
commenced the assault at midnight,
carried the outer earthworks and cap
tured a suburb, which they set on fire
after pillaging IL. Three battalions of
infantry attempted to stem the peas
ants entry into the city itself, but the
fork and scythe armed rustics fought
desperately hand to hand and almost
routed the troops when the Governor
ordered field guns, loaded with grape
shot, TO be fired at the insurgents, who
wavered and fed. The FIRE OF the guns
wrought havoc on the retiring masses.
A number of conflicts between troops
and marauders continue to be reported
Two thousand insurgents at Gorj are
said to have been Quieted by the as
surances Of the authorities without re-
sort TO force. One hundred and fifty
more rioters have been wounded at
Baileschtchi, several of them killed and
many arrested.
Artillery was used at Cucuestf and
elsewhere, and in some instances whole
villages are said TO have been utterly
destroyed by the fire Of e-inch shells.
The report issued this evening shows
continued Improvement in the situa-
tion. Slight outbreaks are still being
reported, but the troops everywhere
have the upper hand.
A number OF important land owners
have petitioned the government 20 post
pone for one year the payment of debts
TO the rural banks and the payment of
private debts incurred through the de-
structiOn of crops. The petitioners
point out that this will be necessary in
order to allow the land to recuperate
and permit the resumption OF agricul-
tural work In the spring. They further
ask the state to grant compensation
for the crops and estates destroyed by
the rioters.
LONDON. March 30.-Great Britain is
being kept fully advised by her Min
lister at Bucharest and her consuls
throughout Roumania of the progress
OF the revolution in that country and
the efforts of the government to put
down the disorders. These official re-
ports show that the trouble has been
serious and widespread and that the
country has had an extremely hard
task to cope with the situation and the
loss by the destruction OF property
For time IL was an open question
whether the outbreak had not got
beyond the control of the Roumanian
authorities, but dispatches received
here today indicate that the troops
finally are getting the upper hand of the
peasants. The damage has been
heavy, however and IL will take the
country years to recover
WASHINGTON, March s0.-Secretary
OF state Root received a number OF ap-
peals from Jewish organizations in this