Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-02-10

PETROCRADIRIOT

NEW YORK, February 9.-The Pet
rograG correspondent of the Moscow
newspaper Outro Rossii Morn of Rus
sla) who in the issue of November 81
described the siege aIlw capture of the
Winter Palace of the Bolshevik forces
and the perilous march of the arrested
Kerenskys ministers from the palace
to the Fortress of Peter and Paul,
gives in the same paper picture of
the looted Winter Palace and of the
events Of the next six days, including
the attempt of the mnicipal council of
Petrodgrad to assume the reins of
power in the capital and form a coal
ition ministry with representatives of
all parties.
II succeeded" he says, " in walk,
ing through the palaces few hours
after the bombardment. The corpses
of the soldiers of the Women's Bat
talon, killed in defence of the palace,
had already been removed but through
the iron gate could be seen the heaps
of empty shells, torn munition belts,
books and leaflets. The whole facade
of the palace was riddled by shells,
the white scars standing out in strik-
ing contrast to the red walls. The pal
ace guard consisted of strong pickets
of sailors and soldiers, heavily armed
and covered with cartridge belts.
when I entered the first floor
saw a picture of complete devastation
amid which moved soldiers and sail
ors searching the rooms and adding to
the confusion. All the drawers Of
the sideboards and cupboards had been
broken open, all the chairs smashed
and the wrecked furniture thrown to-
gether in heaps. On the beds and
sofas broken boxes, amps, chandeliers
and porcelain had been thrown. The
Corridors were filed with torn papers,
fragments and scraps Of the magni-
ficent tapestries, and broken furni-
ture. Everywhere absolute chaos.
I'm the rooms where the electric
fittings had been stored the soldiers,
having carried off everything that
seemed to have any value, were anus
ing themselves and crowd. applaud
Ing spectators by smashing the electric
bulbs. In one room saw soldier
hacking away the valuable tapestry
from a couch with table knife. On
the second floor the scene was even
gloomier. Everywhere dirt indescrib-
able, mattress over all the floors, sol
diers squatted at their meals on the
wondeef -couches of the imperial
furnitfur, splitting soup and greasy
bits D. =. upon the priceless tape
stries.
"The palace servants were no whit
behind the, soldiers at the looting and
went around with bags collecting
what struck their fancies. In the
Round Hall the coldiers had set up
an enormous kettle-and we're cooking
their soup. In the room of the Press
Bureau all the papers had been torn
to bits. In the picture gallery many
pictures had been slashed to strips
painted rags. In one room heavy
of painted rags. In one room heavy
guns had been set up. Windows
were pierced with bullets. 1t was a
nightmare of destruction"
The eighth of November, the day fol-
lowing the siege, passed quietly, the
street cars were running everywhere,
the number of patrols had decreased
and absolute order prevailed. The
council had passed reso-
luton, instructing the population to
defend itself against footing, by use of
arms if necessary, and though the
authorities opposed this or
der, the formation OF house commit
tees of self-defense went steadily for
ward