The Washington times., 1909-07-13
REBELS MAKE WAY
TO SHAFTS PALACE
PerSia'S Head Now in Immi-
nent Danger of Being
Dethroned.

2 TEHERAN, Persia, July 1S--The reb
els entered Tue city this morning and
are forcing their way toward the shah's
palace. leaving in the Trail Of their
advance streets strewn with dead and
wounded.
The rebels entered from the north and
west and are gradually crowding back
the small force Of Persian Cos5aCks VINO
remain loyal to the Shah The Cos
sacks have barricaded ali Of the streets
leading to the palace and the British
and Russian legations and after fierce
street lighting are falling back from the
advanced positions to concentrate about
The palace.
The Shah is closely guarded in the
palace. Ground which the greater part
OF the defending force is nov collected,
defending the Dsrricades in the streets
which lead TO the palace entrances. The
rebels. however. are cutting down all
resistance and capturing barrioade after
1arricade. It row seems certain the
lebels viii force their way tC the PAL
ace. Preparations have been made for
the Shah to take refuge In the Russian
legation. but even there his safety viii
be most uncertain.
Enter Unopposed.
The rebels, in two parties. under Sar-
-darasad. and Siphadar, made their en-
trance to the city almost without Op-
position. Small forces of Cossacks who
swere posted on the outskirts fell back
snapidly as the rebels charged into the
outlying streets.
The Cossacks made an attempt at re-
sistance as they reached the outer for
tfications that had been thrown up in
the streets, but the advance was not TO
be checked, and the rebels swept on,
firing voIley after volley into the rear
OF the retreating Cossacks.
eAs the center Of the city was reached
the Cossacks intrenched behind the
larger barbados, succeeded in stop
ping the advance for a time. Interrupt
ed, the rebels turned their attention to
the cross streets. and the looting began.
Many OF the loyalists Joined the rebels.
as soon as they entered the city. and
the recruits are foremost among the
looters.
Loyal citizens. caught in their houses
during the advance of the rebels. en-
4deavored to make a show Of resistance
AMI scores were shot down in the
streets. Desultory fighting outside OF
the barbados and butchery by the
looting parties which swarm through
the city have filled the cutters with
dead which the rebels made no attempt
to remove. The wounded, if unable 10
sdrag themselves to shelter. lie side by
side with the corpses Of the dead. The
afury OF the first attack Of the rebels
was followed by general lull which
tn. I0ofers their nunorfYgufty
Foreigners Take Refuge.
All Of the foreigners in the city have
taken refuge in the British and Rus
sian legations. where they have armed
themselves, and fortified the buildings
sto resist an attack. which they believe
-ziH follow the fall OF the Shahs pal
ace.
: The rebels were fired to a fanatical
rfury in their attack today by the dec
laratiOn Of a holy war" By the priests
aaof the Sacred College Of Mujtehids. The
-Mullahs Of the college were sent over
The Persian frontier from NeJf. Turkey.
10 proclaim the war and the news was
received with wild excitement by the
=natiOnalists and the tribesmen who are
with them. The authorization of their
Rebellion by the M0slem church gave
abe incentive needed TO bring about
the bloody scenes which Teheran fur
nished today.
The declaration Of a holy war was
aEtDEGLEEr unexpected. as never before
has such a proclamation been made
against members OF the Aoslsm faith.
But the MuIIahs evaded this difficulty
sby pTefacing the war proclamation with
proclamation accommodating the
Shah and his followers.
The AIujJehfds' Interference in the sit
auation is confidently expected to bring
about the downfall OF the Shah. They
hold 8 similar position in Persia to that
Of the sheik u Islam al Constantinople,
whose decree resulted in the deposition
OF Abdul Hamid.
& The Moslem interference IS generally
thought 10 be a result of efforts Of
Turkish lterests-to enter the situation,
with political projects in view
The 'Te5els before they attacked TIE
heran today had raVaged the wide and
fertile plateau, occupied by hundreds Of
magnificent summer residences that
spreads ont about the city. They looted
and wrecked building after building,
then applied the torch.
Accompanied by messengers from the
rAosiefn MuliahE, with the proclamation
Of The holy way, at their mead they set
out for the city. Untu the arrival OF
the Alullah's proclamation they had
been deferred from entering the city by
the Approach Of the Russian army corps
under. General snarsky, which reached
kasv in this morning.
Cause Of Invasion.
F- the INVASION by the rebels fOllOWS the
failu re of Said Ed Wowleh. the Persian
mini ster TO France, 10 reach a friendly
settl ement with the nationaIlsts. The
latter were joined by the Bskhtiari
.trib, ssmen. after the failure Of the ne
goti .ations with the government.
The British and Russian legations in
Tel ieran had informed Siphadar, the
Va donalist leader, that they would sup
poT him ia any reasonable demands on
the. government. and the Nationaijsts
lea der agreed to held back his troops
un al ENJOYS from the Shah could be
ser ~ 70 him with proposals for peace
The ENJOYS did not reach him in what
lhe thought was a reasonable time. and