The Detroit times., 1909-07-13
PERSIAN REBELS
sTREW STREETS
WITH DEAD
Enter Teheran After Ravaging Fer
tile Plateau and Cut Their Way
in Direction Of Shah's Pslaos-
Loyalists Retreat.
Shah Is Guarded by Troops, But His
Flight to Russian Legation
Is Expected.

TEHERAN. Persia. July 1s.-The
rebels entered the city this morning
and are forcing their way toward the
Shah's palace, leaving in their trail
streets strewn with dead and wound.
ed. The rebels entered from the north
and west and are gradually crowding
back the small force OF Persian cos
sacks who remain loyal TO the shah. /,
The cossacks have barricaded all %
the streets leading to the palace and
the British and Russian legations and
after fierce street fighting, are failing
back from the advanced positions TO
concentrate about the palace.
The shah is closely guarded in the
palace around which the greater part
Of the defending force is now collect
ed, defending the barricades In the
streets which lead to the palace en-.
frances. The rebels, however. are cut
| ting down all resistance and captur-
ing barricade after barricade. 1t now
seems certain the rebels will force
their way to the palace. Prepara-
lions have been made for the shah to
take refuge In the Russian legation,
but even there his safety will bemost
uncertain.
| Cossacks Retreat Rapidly.
| The repels, In two parties under
Sardarasad and Sophadar, made their
entrance to the city almost without
opposition. Small forces Of cossacks
who were posted on the outskirts fell
back rapidly as the rebels charged In
to the outlying streets. The cossacks
made an attempt at resistance as they
reached the outer fortiications that
had been thrown up in the streets,
but the advance was not checked and
the rebels swept on. firing into the
rear of the retreating cossacks.
AS the center OF the city was reach
ed the cossacks. entrenched behind
the larger barricades, succeeded In
stopping the advance for time. In
iterrupted, the rebels turned their at
ltention to the cross streets and the
footing began. Many OF the loyalists
Joined the rebels as soon as they eE-
tered the city and the recruits are
foremost among the looters.
Loyal citizens caught In their houses
during the advance OF the rebels en-
Ideavored to make show OF resist,
ance and scores OF them were cut
down In the streets. Desultory street
fighting outside of the barricades and
tbutchery by the Iooting parties which
lswarm through the city have flied the
cutters with dead which the rebels
made no attempt ~ remove.
Wounded Lie Near the Dead.
The wounded, If unable to drag
themselves TO shelter, lie side by side
with the corpses OF the dead. The
fury OF the first attack Of the rebels
was followed by general lull which
gave the hooters their opportunity. All
of the foreigners In the city have taken
refuge In the British and Russian le-
cations where they have armed them
selves and fortified the buildings 10
resist an attack which they believe
will follow the fall OF the shah's PAL
ace.
The rebels were fred to fanatfcAl
fury In their attack today by the dec
laration of holy war by the priests
of the Sacred college OF Mutehids.
The mullahs OF the college were
sent over the Persian frontier from
Nejef Turkey, TO proclaim war. and
the news was received by the national
lists and the tribesmen who are with
them wild with excitement. The, au-
lthorization OF their rebellion by the
Moslem church gave them the incent-
i've needed to bring about the bloody
tscenes which Teheran furnishes today.
The declaration OF holy war was al
together unexpected, as nevert before
has such proclamation been made
against members OF the Moslenrf faith.
The MHjtehids- hold a similar posi-
tion In Persia to that OF Sheik III js-
lam at Constantinople, whose decree
resulted In the deposition OF Abdul
Hamid. The Moslem interference is
Lgenerahy thought 10 be a result OF ef-
forts OF Turkish intere SITS to entervthe
situation, with political projects In
view
The rebels, before they attacked Te-
heran today, had ravaged the wide and
! fertile plateau, occupied by hundreds
OF magnificent summer residences
: that spread out about the city. They
looted and wrecked building afts-
! building and then applied the torch-f