The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-09-20
SCENES OF HORROR
AT PORT ARTHUR
Temper of BelIigerents Has Reached
MeTciless Stage.
Observation-Disclosures

1
flaas Of Truce and Rcd Cross Are
Not Respected BY Either Side, ard
Hundreds Of Dead Lay Unburiod
For Weeks - Another General Ac.
sault May Be On.
Chefoo, Sept l9.-Local students a
the military situation az Port Arthur,
basing their deductions upon recent
developments there. are of the opinion
that another grand assault ia either
occurring Mt the present time or is
imminent. This opinion is based on the
very heavy bombardment of the Rus
sian stronghold that occurred on Sep
TENDER IL. for such a bombardment
forms the usual prelude to an assault.
on the arrival here of important mes
sengers from Port Arthur at q time
when the running of the blockade 10
extremely perilous; on a recent an-
thoritative statement that the japanese
siege works are completed, and on re-
ports from japanese sources that nj
Port Dalny an assault was expected
TO take place in few days These re-
ports were received last week.
In addition 10 the foregoing, there
is the common knowledge that the
Japanese realize that their continued
inactivity increases the resisting power
of the Russian garrison, and Their
consequent desire to make such period
of inactivity as brief as possible.
According to Lieutenant Prince Rad
ziyil. of the Rus ian army, who reached
here from Port Arthur. bearing dis
patches from Lieutenant General Stoes-
sci. 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 Radzivil served with the Bril-
fish in the Boer war, and he says that
until he became aware Of the state or
affairs al Port Arthur he had no idea
that war could be so horrible.
1t was set forth in these dispatches
some weeks ago that serious suspicious
were entertained By both bellgeFents
that the other was abusing the Red
Cross flag, These suspicious have been
increased by the commission Of various
acts By the soldiers OF both armies,
until now even flags OF truce or sur
render are not respected by either side.
Prince Radzivil declares that the
men Of both armies are absolutely ven
Omous in their antagOnism Lieuten-
ant General Stoossel has addressed his
garrison saying that the present mood
Of the Japanese indicates clearly the
necessity OF resisting them 10 the last
drop OF Russian blood. because II the
japanese soldiers entered the fortress
It undoubtedly would be impossible for
their officers to control them and pre-
vent a massacre.
In consequence of the facts that flags
OF truce are ignored. scores Of dead
japanese who have been lying on the
hillsides for weeks past are still un-
buried, and the stencil in Port Arthur
from decomposing bodies, when the
wind is in the right direction. is al
most unendurable The Russian SOL
diers. who are in some cases posted
only 50 PAGES from the heaps OF decay
ing dead, have constantly to wear over
their noses handkerchiefs soaked IN
camphor, as otherwise they would be
unable TO remain al their posts.
In the course OF the assaults which
took place in the four last days Of An
gust. two companies OF japanese sol
diers. 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 yolley rap
idly into the helpless ranks of the en-
envy. In the meantime. Japanese troops
In the rear OF the companies that had
hOisted the white flag saw what their
comrades had done and expressed their
0lEdDDIONul VI lllt ohli tllAfA ~ III Aith
into their rear. As result of this fire
from friend and foe, 600 men were ami
hilated. The dead fell among the de-
composing bodies OF previous assaults.
For days afterward the wounded men
in this area raised futtering handker-
chiefs in their hands in pleas for help.
but the Russians were afraid 70 ven
ture out to give succOr. Within week
the last arm had made its last unre-
garded prayer for help, and the sham
bles was quiet but CHASTITY field Of
horror. Among the heaps Of dead the
prince saw two soldiers, one Russian
and the other a Japanese, lying locked
in a death embrace The teeth OF the
japanese were sunk in the Russians
throat. while the Russian had forced
two of his fingers into the eye sockets
of his antagonist
The prince cited this as merely an
incident denOting the ferOcity of the