Bloody Sunday Massacre in 1905 Russia....

THE EVENING NEWS, Detroit, Michigan, January 24, 1905.

* Bloody Sunday massacre in Russia
* St. Petersburg

This 12 page newspaper has a two line, two column headline on the front page: "MACHINE GUNS FROWN ON RUSSIAN MOBS" with subheads that include: "Crowds In The Streets Have Grown More Sullen, And Additional Troops Have Been Placed On Guard" and more with related photo. This issue is somewhat browned with some margin wear and little pulpish. No text loss though. Must be handled carefully.

 

Historical Background: On the fated Sunday, striking workers and their families gathered at six points in the city. Clutching religious icons and singing hymns, they proceeded towards the Winter Palace without police interference. The demonstrators deliberately placed women and children in the front ranks of the procession in the hope that it would prevent troops from attacking. However, the army pickets near the palace fired warning shots, and then fired directly into the crowds to disperse them. Gapon was fired upon near the Narva Gate. Around fourty people surrounding him were killed, but he was uninjured.

Estimates of the number killed are uncertain. The Tsar's officials recorded 96 dead and 333 injured; anti-government sources claimed over 4,000 dead; moderate estimates still average around 1,000 killed or wounded, both from shots and trampled during the panic. Nicholas II described the day as 'painful', but as reports spread across the city, disorder and looting broke out. Gapon's Assembly was closed down that day, and he quickly left Russia. Returning in October, he was assassinated by his friend Pinhas Rutenberg when Gapon revealed that he was working for the Secret Police.

This event sparked revolutionary activities in Russia that resulted in the Revolution of 1905.