Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-18
JEWS OF VlADNOST0K
Statement That They Are All
to Be Deported.
ECHO OF RECENT MUTINY
Story of the Bloody Revolt in the
Torpedo Fleet.
$50 EXECUTIONS IN ONE DAY
Whole Outbreak Lasted Less Than
an Hour, But Threatened to
Be Widespread.
80 EXECUTIONS IN ONE DAY

Be Widespread.
dispatch received here from Vladivostok
declares the Jews have been ordered to
depart within four days. Jewish property
holders, however, are given eighteen days
In which to liquidate.
1t is generally supposed that the action
of the authorities Is directly connected
with the revolt in the torpedo boat squad
ron in the middle of November.
The correct story of the mutiny on
board the torpedo flotilla Is not easy to
obtain. There are dozens Of accounts Of
a limited number of events which began
and ended in a space of time all told Of
less than one hour Even the statements
from official sources varied In essential
particulars, perhaps with deliberate in
tent.
There was a persistent rumor that the
ringleaders of the mutiny were jewish
girl students and that the authorities had
threatened to expel all the Jewish resi-
dents from the city, but it failed of veri-
fication at that time.
Threatened the Empire.
The mutiny occurred on holiday,
which was observed by all classes. though
the peasantry celebrated for other reasons
than those contained in the imperial
order. The plot was developed among
the crews of the four torpedo boats, and
apparently sufficient support and SYM
pathy had been promised by some Of the
soldiers in the shore batteries to warrant
the attempt. Some of the artillerymen
are believed to have promised active as
Sistance in the event of success, and
others to hold their fire or aim wide o.
the mark II ordered to shell the mutt
neers. If the army, and especially the gar
risons OF the great forts. had Joined in
the movement the city would have fallen
) into their hands in less time than 1t takes
; to tell about 1t, and there is no way of
have spread to the regiments of Siberia
and perhaps the home divisions of Eu-
4 ropean Russia.
With such a beginning as the pow
erful batteries and extensive arsenals
of Vladivostok in the hands of Ihe mu-
tineers, 1t would have cost Russia. even
under the most favorable conditions
} throughout the remainder of her forces
great sums of money and loss Of life to
suppress the trouble. 1t is owing
Russia controls VIadivostok today
though in all fairness 1t should be
stated that portion Of the navy in
the harbor also remained true.
shelled the Batteries.
Just before noon the highest officials
were at the cathedral attending serv-
ices in honor of the day. large num-
Der of troops were in parade formation
extending down the hillside in the d.
rection of the waterfront. On the
stroke Of the hour the shore batteries
and ships Joined in salute, With the
boom Of the first gun the crew of the
little torpedo boat Skofi, anchored close
inshore not far from the naval docks.
struck down their captain and iieuten-
diately the same bloody ensign was
hoisted on the other three torpedo
boats. and the skori, already under
Roadway. Joined In the salute. with
solid shot aimed at the residence Of the
military governor, the church and the
other buildings before mentioned. The
Skori and one other boat made for the
open harbor. firing as rapidly as posi-
| BILE. There is some doubt as to whether
the second boat fired on the town.
| Sunk the Skori.
| The order was flashed to the batteries
to sink the torpedo boats, and with sur
prsing alacrity some of the garrisons
serving the hill guns which could be
trained on the inner harbor began firing
on the mutineers. At the same time the
gunboat Mandjour, 80 long informed at
Shanghai during the war and now for
tunately at anchor close to the fleeing
torpedo boats, began Smelling them. Three
of the red flags were Immediately low
cred. and after this time their crews took
no active part.
The Skori continued a few hundred
yards toward the mouth of the harbor
until her steering gear was disabled by
shell, probably from the Mandjour. She
was seen to swerve suddenly, become I'M
manageable and head for the shore in the
direction of her former anchorage, at high
speed She was struck amidships by
shell from one Of the land batteries and
Ienyeloped in mass Of steam. The fren-
zied crew plunged into the icy water and
made for the shore. but the soldiers who
were in parade formation in the vicinity
of the church rushed over the niun TO
Of the sailors before they could reach
land Some twenty survivors were cap
tured, tried and shot the same day.
2O7 Were Executed.
The Russians are not in the habit of
giving out information concerning their
punishments and therefore. an accurate
account is practically out of the question;
but the consensus of opinion among the
best posted foreigners is that between
900 and go of those engaged in the
mutinv were promptly tried. convicted
and taken across the harbor to an island
and there shot
While the mutiny was almost entirely
| confined to the crews of the four torpedo
boats. there undoubtedly was some disaf-
lection among the mechanics and sailors
employed at the navy yard and arsenals.
| and perhaps to very small extent among
| the earrisons Of the shore batteries. The
| prompt action of the principal batteries.
| however seems to have discouraged the
| weaker ones.
Murdered Their officers.
When the Skori first hoisted the little
red flag some of the guards Of the naval
arsenal made a dash for the ammunition
stores and were met by an officer, cap
tain, who ordered them back. He was
shot in the act Of giving the command.
A subordinate officer met the same fate,
Ebut before any material damage could be
done company of soldiers surrounded
! the arsenal. killed some ten or twelve of
the mutineers and captured the remainder
who are reported to have been shot with
the sailors after hasty trial. The mu-
tiny was suppressed in less than half an
hour and general quiet was restored with
in the hour. The executions began the
following day.