The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-28
Eye Witness Depicts Escape
of KerenSky; Britisher SdD
4 Street Battles in Petrogrdd

I fire and musketry was continuous
Outside combatants and noncombat-
ants alike were suffering, and
through the cellar grating we could
hear the groans Of wounded men
and women.
Street Scenes of Carnage.
Out in the street there was q scene
of carnage more terrible than any
thing / have seen in warfare. Dead
and wounded were lying everywhere
We heard the groans coming from
huddled heap near us, and rush
ing forward found a young girl of
the tailoring type so common among
Russian Jews. She had been hit in
two places, and was bleeding pro-
fusely. We carried her down into
the cellar, and If aid had been de-
layed another minute the patient
would have bled to death.
The fire became so fierce after
that that we had to make for shell
ter, holding on to the walls, and
springing forward a yard or two at
time. we managed to get back into
the house. The loyal troops were
gradually pushed back and the
Leninite revolutionists were in pos
session Of the streets for about two
miles around the house. Machine
gun posts were established at differ
ent points, and these were relent-
lessly turned on soldiers and civilians
alike.
After about five hours in this dis
trict, / started back. Things seem
ed to have quieted down in that
neighborhood, and I had very little
distance to go. when heavy firing
broke out close by. We had barely
time to get under the shelter OF an
arcade, when a band Of revolution
lists appeared, and began to scrutin-
iZe houses in the immediate neigh
borhood.
Kerensky Seeks Refuge.
heard they had learned that
Kerensky had taken refuge in the
house Of a sympathizer in that dis
trict, and they were searching for
him.
One house was singled out for at
tack, and was quickly surrounded by
the mob with flaming torches which
they tried to set the house alight
with. At one of the windows an Old
man appeared, and tried to call
something to the crowd, but his
voice was drowned in the tumult. In
the background I saw the scared
faces Of two women.
The mob became more menacing
every minute, and started to fire at
the windows. The door was broken
down, and the crowd surged in.
Just when they were crowding in
the hallway some soldiers appeared
from the back part Of the house, and
opened fire. The attack was so I'M
expected and so effective, that panic
laid hold of the attacking party,
who now scattered in all directions,
trampling each other in their eager
ness to get away. From behind the
house more soldiers came, and a
furious fusillade was opened on the
armed mob, which now became more
and more terrified.
AT one Of the windows appeared
a young, understood and sallow-
faced man. My companion caught
hold Of my. arm. 'Tf you want to
see Kerensky," he exclaimed, NOV
is your chance. That is the man"
1t was indeed the dictator him
self, and he looked as cool as man
could look, regardless of the fact
that the house in which he was
sheltering was partly ablaze. and
outside there was an angry mob
thirsting for his blood.
Dictator Takes Flight.
The loyal troops were few in num-
Der, but what they lacked in guam
tity they had in quality. The streets
Immediately surrounded the dis
trict were quickly cleared, and later
M: Kerensky appeared in person, ac-
companied by an escort Of two
mounted officers and eight men with
whom he rode rapidly away, making
for the bridge over the Neva and the
northern suburbs OF the city.
The revolutionists knew by now
that their prey was at hand, and
they made desperate efforts to get
the mastery. They surged forward
in masses on the road by which
kerensky had made his escape.
With fury they threw themselves
on the handful Of Cossacks who held
the approach to this road, and des-
perate fighting ensued.
The revolutionary hordes flung
themselves on the faithful Cossacks
again and again. but the latter
budged not an inch. They suffered
terribly. for their devotion to their
master, but they were fine fellows,
and nothing seemed to disturb them,
AT last Lney were TeuuCSu 10 dDOul
twenty in number. and were with
out ammunition. They were also
dismounted.
Battle RACES Into Night.
Sword in hand they stood to await
the end. which was now fast APP
preaching. A great mass Of the
revolutionists rushed on them. Fol-
few minutes there was an exciting
swaying to and fro, and then the
mass of rebels passed on over the
road by which KerenslSy had escap-
ed. They passed over the dead bodies
of the men who had held the ground
until to hold it longer was a physical
impossibility.
From the shelter of the hospital
we watched what there was to be
seen of the fighting in the streets.
Far into the night It ragged.
Fires broke out all over the city,
and the glare rose high I'm the
heavens, causing a dull red reflec-
ton for miles around. The rattle of
firearms continued almost without