The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-19
FACES DEATH IN
MOSCOW BATTLE
Seattle Woman Tells of Plight Of
Americans in Russian
City.
line LIKE RATS EIGHT DAYS
Describes Terrible Experiences During
Fight Between the Bolsheviki ard
c~adets-in Very Center
Of the Battle.

Seattle, Wash.-How Americans hud-
lied for eight days In the basement
Of q hotel In Moscow, Russia, while
the battle between the bolsheviki and
cadets loyal to the government ragged
over their heads, Is told In u wildly
interesting letter received here by
relatives of Mrs. Helen Meserve, for
merly of this city. who has spent the
last three and one-half years with her
husband In Russia.
Harry Meserve, her husband, Is
representative of the National City
bank Of New York In Petrograd and
Moscow.
Living like rats and running from
place to place to avoid the bullets of
the machine guns and the shells of
the larger. guns" Mrs. Meserve says,
was an experience she hopes never
TO undergo again."
The first part of her letter Is dated
November II. 1917. at Moscow. 1t
says:
4CStCA0uy VIC 0CiV 0bt w hNo'R
the hotel In Moscow and are now at
the French military headquarters.
For eight days we were under bonn
bardment and for three hours the
guns Of the anarchists were turned
directly on the Hotel National, where
great damage was done. All the
windows were broken and the walls
torn by the big shells.
Like Rata In Cellar.
1.-The last few days we lived like
rats In the cellar. running from place
to place to safe shelter. During all
the bo~mbardment we did not take our
clothes OF and sat up two nights"
Four days later the letter was CON
tinued at the Hotel d'Europe In PEI
trograd. The letter continues:
I'VE arrived here yesterday In a
Red Cross train and are leaving for
home just as soon as We possibly
can get out. I win try and tell a lit
tie more about our experiences In
Moscow.
THE firing began at ten o'clock at
night. At first only q few shots were
fired. There was positively no war;
ing any kind. rs W. knew the gov
eminent had been taken I'VE by the
bolsheviki tthis party Is composed of
anarchists and socialists. the former
In great majority.
Our rooms were on the corner Of
the hotel and u windows were rid
died with bullets while we were dress
Ing early In the morning preparatory
to leaving.
1--WE were In the very center of the
battlefield. The fight was between
the bolsheviki and the cadets. the lat
ter standing by the government and
the former trying to overthrow 1t.
There was very little to eat In the
hotel, and again the Red Cross men
came to our rescue and we did our
own cooking.
"On Sunday the cadets took possess
sion Of the hotel. On Monday the
bolshevikf began to fire on II with
rifles only. Nearly all the windows
were brokeH and we lived In the halls.
On Tuesday the big guns were turned
Immediately OF US and the two upper
stories destroyed. The big gun firing
continued for three long and horrible
hours.
Cadets Driven Out.
The entire hotel became so filled
with smoke and gas II was difficult to
breathe. and we could scarcely see
ten feet away.
'The firing from the anarchists
drove the cadets from our hotel. and
on Tuesday night the anarchists took
possession.
THE battle continued for four days
more. the bolsheviki firing from our
hotel and the cadets firing back. On
Wednesday the firing was so heavy
that the halls were not eve safe, and
w went to the cellar, where we stayed
a couple of days and nights.
TT was not only the ~firing-that
was expected-but the bolsheviki had
demanded the keys to the wine cellar,
which had been refused. No one knew
when they might use force and get
them. You cannot imagine what aw-
ful looking people these men are. A
large part seemed to be deserters from
the army, and they looked as II there
was nothing they would stop at.
''Finally the firing seemed to dimln.
ish. and on Saturday we learned the
cadets had been defeated"