The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-28

Ills IL the IlTSl eyewitness
! account that has come to this
country of the fighting between
the Leninites and the followers
Of Rcrensky in the streets OF
Petrograd. A. M. Watson, who
was connected with a British
armored Tank" unit, was in
Petrograd at the time the revo-
luton occurred, and was in the
thick of the fighting, though
only as an onIooker. He saw
and describes for readers the es-
cape OF KeTensky.
BY A. NJ. Watson.
had got permission to leave the
hospital grounds for a short stroll
along towards the river. 1t struck
me that the streets were unusually
crowded and that the passersby
seemed more than usually excited
over something.
Suddenly the little knots at the
street corner disappeared, and those
in the doorways drew in closer The
unmistakable whistling Of bullets
was heard in the streets, and along
the one in which / stood about a
dozen men came running at top
speed. They wore the uniform Of
the Russian regular army. and were
undoubtedly men Of the garrison OF
Petrograd.
Behind them came a mob of men
Of military discipline. These men
were stopping at intervals to fire at
ter the flying soldiers, who dashed
along a narrow passage by my right.
and took shelter in block OF small
houses.
There at bay they tried to hold on
against the ever-increasing swarm
Of enemies. They fought until their
last cartridge was spent. BY then
the house in which they sheltered
was in flames and there was moth
ing for it but to sally forth and meet
death in the open. AS the men
emerged from the doorway, one by
one rifles cracked in quick success
sion, and with each crack man fell
dead across the doorway. When the
last man went down to welter in his
own blood, the crowd broke into loud
cheering.
Beginning of the Latest Revolution.
That was the beginning Of the lat
est or Lenine revolution in Petro-
grad, as l saw when taking that
fateful morning stroll.
Marching through the streets, and
singing revolutionary songs, the
crowd encountered a body Of sold
iers coming from the opposite direc-
ton.
The two parties stood gazing at
each other as though uncertain what
to do.
Then one OF the workmen holder
than his followers, stepped forward
and spoke something in low tones to
the soldiers in the front rank. An
officer came forward with uplifted
sword. A rife shot rang out, and he
fell dead. The soldiers rushed to-
wards the workmen, not to attack
them, but to join them, and the pro-
cession thus augmented, passed on,
singing more loudly than ever.
At the next turning we met an
other body of soldiers. This time
there was no fraternizing. A sharp
volley followed an ignored challenge,
and gaps were made in the ranks OF
the processionists.
Heavy Fire Kept Upon Troops.
A fight of the widest description
followed.
Sheltering in doorways, perched
on window lodges, and on roofs, the
revolutionists kept up heavy rthe
fire on the Kerensky troops, and this
was. returned by the troops, who
WEAlk 4IA WdlA 1ONSA Va NAS
houses. Bullets whistled and ratified
along the street, and from time to
time hits were followed by the top
ping Of human beings from the
neighboring roofs and the window
lodges. .. O.. 49,.
Very soon the streets were Uttered
with dead and wounded, but the con-
flict showed no sign Of slackening its
fury. began to realize that this
was no place for me, but did not
dare venture forth for fear worse
should befall me.
BY that time the city had the ap-
pearance of being in a state of
siege. The momentary lull in the
firing near us was just ending, and
barricades were being thrown up
by the combatants all around the
house. We were right in the thick
OF it, and the rattle of machine gun