The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-03-07
The Burning of
BntOu1n
An Audacious Hazard of Nikolai, Independent Agent, as
Related by His Lieutenant, Summers
BY H. M. EGBERT
(copyneht. 1913. by W. c. Chapman

Two years ago, when the revolution
ary movement In Russia was at its
height and frightful excuses, perpe-
trated both by the government and
the Nihilists, we're reported daily in
all the newspapers of western lands,
the world was appalled, to learn that
q great part Of Batoum, the largest
city in the Caucasus. had been con-
sumed by fire.
Batoum is the center of the Russian
oil refining business. 1t is the only
place that rivals the Pennsylvania
and Kansan fields. I~nexhaustible
gushers of petroleum exist every
where in its vicinity. and oil-ships
from Batoum pass oil-vessels from
New York harbor on every sea.
Naturally, a Russian city of this de-
scription is a hot.bed of revolution.
P~ersians, Russians, Tartars, Turks,
Khivans-men from all eastern coun-
tries, all equally infected with Nj
hilist doctrines, work side by side in
The refineries.
A feature Of the conflagration,
which though half forgotten amid the
greater disaster, excited much specu-
lation at the time, was the blowing
up of the oil-ship Caspian, which lay in
the harbor.
This is how the series of events be-
gan. A general strike had been pro-
claimed by the Nihilists, in answer to
the edict establishing martial law in
the city. The refinery owners, whose
interests made them close allies of
the government, had grown equally
embittered and exasperated. The re-
fineries were all situated upon the
waterfront, and a large number of
strike-breakers had been employed by
the owners and lodged and fed within
these buildings, so hat the strikers
could not approach them. There they
worked, night and day.
Out in the basin lay the Caspian,
waiting to take on board a cargo OF
refined oil for Glasgow. The revolu-
~tlonists had sworn that she should not
sail. Nikolai and had hurried to Ba-
toum at the first outbreak of trouble;
he was at the head Of the inner sec
ton of the party, and if the strike sue
ceeded in bringing the government to
terms, it would immensely increase
their prestige throughout the Russian
empire; it would even react upon St.
Petersburg, where the car had just
convoked the duma and was wavering
between constitutionalism and abso-
-)utism.
All hinged upon one thing. If the
Caspian sailed with her cargo of oil,
it would demonstrate that the revolu-
tionists cause was hopeless. She
must not sail. But how was the
threat to be translated into action?
The police boats patrolled the stretch
'of water that lay between the vessel
and the land. Moreover, it was not
necessary to bring the Caspian to the
dock, for a pipe line had been laid down
between her and the refinery, and
Through this the crude oil, when
ready, would be pumped into the hold.
In two days, or at most, in three, the
sFtrike-breakers would have restored
order and resumed the suspended
operations within the great building.
The revolutionists opened negotia-
tions with the governor general. If
he would SUSPEND martial law and
summary executions, business should
be resumed. They sent Nikolai to
him with such proposals. We went
up TO the palace upon the hill and
were admitted to General Kaulbars,
a man of sinister fame who, having
failed in the Manchurian campaign,
had been sent back to shoot down
z 30 ls, a-,a -ok;z, tbok o,-fra1 T..
freedom.
Kaulbars was seated at the table
OF his office in uniform. He heard
Hikolai in scornful silence, f1ddling
with his black beard and twining his
dong fingers round each other ~rvous
ny.
you tell me that unless l suspend
martial law you will blow up the Cas-
pian," he said suavely, He seemed
TO think for a moment, then pressed a
bell upon his table twice. Instantly
a pair of armed guards appeared at
the door, their rifles turned full upon
Nikolai and myself.
Take these men out and hang them
in the courtyard" he said.
Hitherto Nikolai had spoken In the
vulgar Russian Of the laboring man.
Now, without a sign of trepidation, he
addressed Kaulbars in his own dia-
iect.
q wouldn't do that" he said per.
suasively.
why not?" demanded Kaulbars,
starting from his seat in astonish-
ment.
Because his majesty would be an
noyed with you" said Nikolai; and
unpinning his lapel, he exposed to
the generals view the insignia of the
Black Hundred, THAI murderous or
ganization very close to the emperor's
heart.
Kaulbars styled to the soldiers tc
depart. who are you?" he STAN
mered. why did you come to me
with threats?"
General" said Nikolai, you failed
to hear me patiently. l did moi
threaten to blow up the Caspian.
was repeating to you the absurd
threats Of the Nlhilists. l came Il
assure you that l can lay my hands
upon the inner council; l know where
they meet and what they plan
MAKES OLD MAIDS MARRY