Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-09-21
Bodies Rot in the Sun,

Cne FOO, sept. 10, 9.oO u. m.-Ac'
cording to Lieutenant rnce Radzivil
of the Russian army, who reached
here today from Port Arthur, bearing
dispatches from Lieutenant General
Stoessel, the commander-in-chief OF
the forces of the Russian stronghold,
to General Kuropatkin. the temper of
the ~belligerents at Port Arthur has
reached an absolutely merciless stage.
Prince Radziyil served with the Brit
ish in the Boer war, and he says that
until he became a Of the state OF
affairs at Port Arthur he had no idea
that war could be so horrible.
Prince Radzivil, another Russian Of
ficer, two civilians and one woman,
the wife of a Russian staff officer, left
Port Arthur the night of September
16. on a junk and arrived here last
night. When he landed at this port
he did not make himself known. but
the correspondent of the Associated
Press accidently discovered his iden-
tity.
Prince Radzivil got into Port Arth-
ur a fortnight ago. carrying dispatch
es from General K~uropatkin TO Lieu.
tenant General StOeSSel.
1t was set forth in these dispatches
some weeks ago that serious suspic-
ions were entertained py both bellig.
erents that the other was misusing
the Red Cross flag. This suspicion
has been increased by the commission
of various acts by the soldiers of
both armies until now even flags of
truce or surrender are not respected
by either side.
men of both armies are absolutely
venomous in their a~ntagonism. Lieu.
tenant General Stoessel has address
his garrison saying that the present
mood of the japanese indicates clear
ly the necessity of resisting them to
the last drop of Russian blood be.
cause. IL the Japanese soldiers enter
ed the fortress ii undoubtedly would
be impossible for their officers to con
troll them and prevent a massacre.
For this reason Lieutenant General
Stoessel is making no objection TO
civilians leaving Port Arthur. When
the 800 women who are in Port Arth-
ur engaged in hospital work were ad.
vised to leave, they replied they
would rather face the possibility of
a massacre than desert their posts.
In consequence of the fact that flags
of truce are ignored numbers of ia
panese dead, which have been lying
on the slopes of the hills Of the north
east defenses for the past week, are
still unburied and the stencil in Port
Arthur from decomposing bodies when
the wind is In the right direction, is
almost uncomfortable. The Russian sol.
diers, who are in some cases posted
only 50 PAGES from heaps of dead,
have constantly to wear on their noses
handkerchiefs soaked in camphor, as
otherwise they would be unable to
remain at their posts.
In the course of the assault which
took place In the last four days Of
August two companies of japanese
soldiers, according TO Prince RadZivil,
found themselves at the mercy of the
Russians and hoisted a white flag. To
this, however, the Russians paid no
attention and continued to volley rap.
idly into the helpless ranks of the
enemy.
In meanwhile Japanese troops in
the rear of the companies that had
raised the white flag saw what their
comrades had done and expressed
their disapproval of the surrender by
firing into their rea As a result OF
the fire from friend and foe. 600 men
were annihIliated. The dead fell
among the d%ecomposing bodies Of a
previous assault. For days afterward
the wounded men in this area raised
fluttering handkerchiefs in their hands
in plea for help but the Russians were
afraid to venture out 10 succor. With
in a week the last arm had made is
last unregarded prayer for help ant
the shambles were a quiet but ghast
1y field of horror.