Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-12-20
THE MASSACRE
Of Chinese by the Victorious Japanese Army
at Port Arthur-.-Isrrlble Butchsry.
runk-LOads Of Women and Children
Sunk BY Torpedo Boats.

New York, December 10. The World
tomorrow will print special advices
from its correspondent, James Creel-
man, who was with the japanese army,
dated Port Arthur, November "a, via
Vancouver, B. c., December 10.
The struggle for the eman-
cipation Of Corea has been
suddenly turned into hssdlong,
savage war Of conquest. 1t is no longer
conflict between civilization and
barbarlsm. Japan for the last four
days has trampIsd civiiz alton under
the foot Of her eonquering army.
The taking Of Port Arthur and the
possession Of one Of the most powerful
stronghOlds in the world was too great
q strain upon the japanese character
which relapsed 10 few hours into the
british state from which it was awaken
ed generation ago. Almost the entire
population OF Chinese ia Port Arthur has
been mastered and the work Of butch
erIng the unarmed and unresisting in
habitants has been continued. The
streets are choked up with mutilated
eorpses 10 spite Of the vastness Of the
battlefield and the strength Of the bat
teries massed in this mighty chain OF
land and sea forts, the taxing
Of Port Arthur is robbed Of It's
dignity as a battle by the fact that a
large and we'll trained army attacked a
mere rabble. There was great deal
of artillery thunder and scientific man
OeuVering Of the troops among the can
non crowned hills, but the Infantry
fighting was incidenta. ADD the butch
sr's bill, as the hardened campaigner
would call it, was Insignificant.
The japanese lost about fifty dead
and $50 wounded in carrying fortress
that would have cost them 10000 men
had it been occupied by European or
American citizens,
China is now at the mercy Of the
Island Empire. In a few days the
fierce Sennal troops will be ready to
leave Japan to join Field Marshal
Oyama's army, aud then the third
and final movement toward Pek ing will
begin. Up to the moment Port Arthur
was entered, / can bear witness that
both OF Japan's armies now In the field
were chlvslrous and generous 10 the
enemy. There was not a stain on her
flag.
After describing the march to Port
Arthur aad the battle which resulted in
the fall OF the line OF forts, which was
brilliant aud bloody affair, Astounding
In aggressive movements and retreats,
blown up magazines, earthWorks, ETC.,
CTeelman says:
while all this was going on torpedo
boats were going through the waves and
sinking junks loaded with men, women
and children endeavoring TO escape
The water was flied with drowning
inhabitants. The massacre had begun.
The battle was over as far as Port
Arthur was concerned. Even Ogunsan
was silent and deserted. The soldiers
had made their escape and the frighten-
ed inhabitants were covering In the
streets.
As the japanese troops moved on they
saw the heads of their slain comrades
hanging TO cords, with the noses and
ears gone. There was a rude arch in
the main street decorated with bloody
japanese heads. A great slaughter
followed. The infurIated soldiers
killed every one they saw. No
attempt 10 take prisoners was made.
Women and children were hunted and
shot as they fed TO the hills with their
protectors. The town was sacked from
end 70 end and the inhabitants
were butchered In their homes. The
van Of the second regiment reached
Fort Ogunsan aud found it deserted.
Then they discovered junk in the haT-
Dor crowded with fugitives. A platoon
Was stretched across the end of the
wharf and fred into the boat
until every woman man and
child was killed. The torpedo
boats had already sunk ten junks filed
with terrOr-stricken people.
Am satisfied that not more than 100
Cinnamon were killed In fair battle at
Port Arthur, and at least 1900 IN
armed men were put TO death.