The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-05-06
READY TOR BIG BATTLE
Turks and Greeks Stand Face to
Face at Pharsalos,
1aB CONFLICT AT vELBsTINO.

Turks Claim THAT They We're Not Re-
pulsed, but Were Merely Reconnoi-
tering-Inhnbitnnts of Larissa De-
nounco the Greek Commander.
Athens, May GA dispatch from the
front says that the Turkish forces, at
noon yesterday, were drawn up in bat
tie array on the plain of Pharsalos, fac
ing the Greek army, numbering $4,000
men, 1t is expected here that a gen
eral engagement between the opposing
forces has commenced
The Greek fleet has captured at the
entrance of the Gulf of Salonica
schooner in which Sir Ellis Ashmead
Bartlett, the Anglo-American member
Of parliament, recently visited the
Turks. The vessel will be taken to the
Piraeus for examination. It is reported
that documents of a seriously COM
promising character were-found on the
schooner These viii be turned over
TO the government.
| Dispatches from Larissa say that
two batteries of hOwitzers arrived
there Monday evening from Elassona,
and IA battalions Of infantry, four
squadrons of cavalry and four bat
/ teries Of artillery have been sent to
reinforce the Turkish troops fighting
at Velestino The victory of the Turks
/ seems assured. The prisoners taken
report that the population, including
that Of Volo, is disposed to submit, and
| from various sources it is learned that
| the Greeks are badly demoralized and
/ discontented with the crown prince
and his officers.
The soldiers who were wounded in
] the croo Mt af 40.
now coming in to the hospitals of
Larissa. The latter are well organized
/ with the materials which the Greek
/ abandoned,
The inhabitants OF Larissa denounce
the commander OF the Greek troops,
and even accuse him of treason. They
hope for an early Intervention on the
/ part of the powers I'm order to prevent
the complete ruin of the country.
1t is stated at Larissa that the crown
! prince of Greece ordered Larissa to be
burned previous to evacuating the
place, but it is said there was no time
to carry out his Instructions.
The Turks claim that the fighting
which has taken place at Velestino,
and in which they are said to have
been repulsed, was merely a recon
noisance in forces and its object, that
of finding out the strength of the
enemy, being achieved the officers had
the utmost difficulty in inducing the
meu to retire. They We're obliged, il
is claimed, to threaten them and even
then they could not prevent the Turks
in defiance, from singing during the
withdrawal, the men declaring they
were challenging the Greeks and per-
sisting in singing in order to secure
If possible, a renewal of the fighting.
There was striking feature in last
Fridays cavalry charge. Colonel Nah
moud Bey was fired upon by a Greek
officer, who sent four bullets from his
revolver in the direction of the Turkish
officer, Mahmoud Bey then galloped
ahead of his men, and with one fierce
blow with his sword completely sew
cred the Greek officers head from his
body.
The heat at Larissa is tremendous,
but the troops are suffering without
any complaint, and the doctors are
greatly impressed with the wonderful
vitality of the wounded Turks One
Turkish soldier who was shot in the
stomach remained In the ranks and
afterward walked ten miles. Another
Turkish soldier who was wounded
twice in the legs and once in the
shoulder continued attending to his
duties for "a hours until an officer no
ticed his condition and ordered him to
the hospital.