GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE ITALIAN RIOTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 135, 9 June 1898, Page 2

GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE ITALIAN RIOTS.

TERRORISM IN MILAN,

HUNGRY MOBS KEPT" IN CHECK

BY MANY TROOPS.

LONDOX, .May 10.

A Milan correspondent of the "Daily News,' telegraphing on Monday, bays: 'Calm reigns again. This being- so, it can do no harm to say plainly, though it is by no means certain the words

will reach you, I hat for the last two days this city has been in the throes of revolution, with all its horrors and all its sadni-ss. Certain quarters today present a scene of eompleto devastation. In others the quietness of terrorism reigns, and this is the. more striking when contrasted in the mind of the spectator with the scenes of yesterday and Saturday, when above tlie shrieks of the dying vo<n> the wails of widows and orphan:;, the hoarse words of command and (he irresistible tramp of soldiers, follow/d by the terrible boom of cannon.

'When the fury first broke out many of the people who would have nothing to do with the movement were caught, us it were, in a trap. Here is an instance: When the soldiers were advancing to the charge against the first barricade in the. Via Torino, a lady, young, richly dressed, ami still* with terror, was struck by a bullet in the breast and fell dying.;

'At another point a line carriage, with horses wild with fright, was stopped by the mob, and its occupr.nl, a lady, forcibly removed and left to find her way home as best she d-iild. The carriage was used to carry the wounded to the hospital. At the f.entral Station the engine drivers and guards refused lo leave their families to the mercy of the mob. However, alter a delay of forty minutes the troops obliged them to go en with the trains. The fighting was in real earnest, and the soldiers were received as people receive a foreign invader. Pools of blood were seen in the streets and often also the scattered brains of the dead.

; 'The Red Cross Society organised its i members, wearing the international badge, and succoured the v-o.tudtd land dying. Many children had exceedingly narrow escapes, the firing j coming just as the schools had been 'closed at noon. Parents rushed about

in an agony of mind. Any tnoihtr or j father can understand their feelings (while passing through a mob with bulllcts whistling about their cars. Women instead of restraining the men egged (thorn on to greater excesses, and even I allowed their children to participate. j Some even pushed themselves under j the noses of the soldiers, .-rying— "Cowards, assassins, we work- nil day |to maintain you in idleness," and in I raising- similar protests.

I 'When the mob invaded the central i station the express for Turin was just lon the point of leaving. The rioters, j when they saw it. cried. 'Look, look!

j They arc going to Turin for tbe fetes lof |he jubilee of the Constitution.

(They arc going to enjoy themselves, j Shame, shame! Come back; come back

j and see

".Meanwhile the train advanced very slowly, and hundreds of people threw themselves upon the track in front of the engine, screaming. "Conic on, but over our bodies."

'A \ovy noticeable point throughout the two days' fighting- has been Ihat

tin* workingmen clement, although I without adequate moans for offensive or defensive work, has shown extra-, ordinary tactical knowledge, a proof I among others Ihat organisation existed and preparations had been made.

perhaps not for an explosion now. but at the first opportunity. Thirteen barricades were built by the mob at the fordo Garabaldi. whore this main street is intersected by others, forming a small square.

'Thus the people were. the. masters of the ground which they held for "a long time before the. Bersaglieri by

acts of real heroism succeeded in penetrating the barricades. Even the gentle nuns of San Michaele. were for

a time in grave danger as the rebels were not likely to respect women. A barricade has been raised beside the convent and this enraged the rioters.

The savage cry rose. 'Let us use the. mins to heighten our barricades!' They were on the point of carrying out the idea when one. of the sisters appeared at the convent door and distributed lire notes, enjoining them with exquisite courtesy to leave the convent, in peace.

'Even this, however, would have, have been insufficient had the. cavalry not arrived, giving the crowd something else to think of. The mob did not even respect the hospitals, but wished to invade them, and the Ospeuola Maggiore was threatened. Behind the gate of that building stood Professor Porr, n Senator and wellknown doctor, the most noted Conservative in Milan. The crowd was quick to'see him.

'"There is Porr, our oppressor!" thoy cried threateningly. Insults were shouted at the professor, who. now pale but calm, resolutely opened the gales and stood with amis folded, saying sternly: 'To him who has the courage, advance. He will find a good revolver ready for him and I will show how a good phvsieian does his duty." Nobody accepted the invitation.

'It is extremely difficult to speak with accuracy as to the numbers of killed aiid wounded, and any estimate, in view of the conflicting statements current can only approximate to the truth. It may be said at once that the casulties were many times more numerous than at first believed even by spectators of the bloodshed! Probably it would not be exaggerating to fix the number of deaths as little short of 1,000. What are" the numbers of the wounded I shall not attempt lo say. -Many casual lies will probably never be known.'

Special despatches received from Lome describe the wholesale delay and stoppage of telegrams describingthe riots. The riots, tho, specials say are largely the. outcome of crushinotaxation, which makes even salt cost Hi cents a pound. Thousands of poor are thereby deprived and die. from the terrible disease, peeligra. The fact that General Huereh lias been made, virtually dictator at Klor" °AT '? S?ni^ Cn- nt- 1!e (';m,(-f1 His title of 'The Butcher' by the sava-e cruelties h Q ordered during the Massa JJocarrara riots some years a->o Twenty-three provinces in Italy are virtually, though not, formally, in a state ol: siege. Rumour has 'it ihat the trouble is fomented by the clericals, who have chosen the moment for an attack on the monarchy No proof of this exists, but King Himibert and his entourage are. greatly dis I ressed at the .turn of events.