Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-04-23
CARNAGE WAS H0RRIR lie
Details of the Sinking Of the koriet7
in Chemulpo Harbor Made Public
for the First lime.

Victoria, Il. g., April 15.-Details OF
the fight between the Russian cruiser
Variag and the Japanese fleet, which
have never been published on this side,
were supplied by the passengers of the
Northern Pacific liner Victoria, just
arrived from the orient. The principal
details relate 10 the awfu effects OF
the Japanese shell fire, and the strange
attacks OF the battle. The Korean Re-
view of a late date, gives the following
version OF the historic combat:
The Variag and KorietZ made
straight for the easterly channel, steer
ing a little west of south, the Japa-
nese fleet waiting for them eight miles
away. When four miles separated
them, the Japanese threw shots across
the Russians bows as n signG.l to
to and surrender.
THE only answer the Russians made
was 10 crowd on more fire, and the
Variag began TO leave the Korietz be-
hind, and steaming at "a knots, headed
straight for the Japanese flagship. The
object was to get as close as possible TO
the japanese, as the Variag's guns
were only of 6 4-l0 inches, and quite
useless at a lcng range.
This was at five minutes before
noon. The japanese fleet was de-
pioyed into a line facing the approach
lnR steamers ;, CIlllS NV iiNSiihiAio
to bring their whole force to bear on
them. The two Japanese vessels that
smashed the Variag to pieces were the
Asama and the Chi Yoda: no other
vessels of the Japanese fleet o part.
Not long after the warming shot
the two japanese ships let loose with
their whole batteries, the noise being
| terrific. The Variag swerved to the
eastward and gave the japanese her
-~a1.sln A II about lnr. tho
sea was torn into foam II Spouting
fountains Of water by the machine gun
fire and exploding shells. Her steering
gear was smashed early I'm the fight,
and she had to depend entirely on her
engines TO steer her.
Seeing il was impossible TO make
the eastward passage, the Nariag's
commander headed for the west n
came around in a course which brought
the Naraig very much nearer to the
Japanese. Then the deadly work was
lone 10 her. Ten of her twelve gun
captains were hot away. Shells struck
her f~orecaStle: enc passed between the
arm and body OF a n who had his
hand on his hip and, bursting, killed
every other man on the ~forecastle. Both
bridges were destroyed by bursting
shells. Captain Rubnieff was seriously
wounded. A lieutenant who was I'm the
DIllAIl No"S III DNNl arp III DNoAA NAAS w
servation slit had his face beaten clean
in and his head reduced TO a pulp by
the terrific impact of 81 shell which
struck the slit just opposite his face
and exploded.
Scenes on the fore and aft deck were
sickening. The Variag's urgeon Went
violently insane shortly after the en-
gagement, and the wounded men haC
10 wait until boats with medical as
~sistance arrived from the neutral ships,
THE explosion of the Korietz was SC
violent that the neutral commanders
asked that the Variag he not blown up
She was accordingly set on fire and
sunk. The Nariag's forty-one dead were
placed In one OF the cabins, and burned
and went down with the ship.
-
Japanese Army Spreads Out.
st. Petersburg, April 15.-Oncial re-
ports from the heater of war from
April 8 to April II, say all was quic:
at both Port Arthur and In the terri
The weather a been stormy and
snowfalls and heavy rains have pre-
vailed throughout the Kwan Tung pc
ninsula. The Japanese vanguard, &C.
cupying Win and Yongampo, had ex-
tended its line to the river Pomahua.
The Japanese were cntrenching oppo-
site Schachedie, the working parties
wearing the Korean dress.
A Japanese Hero Honored.
Toxic, April ia fragment of the
body of Commander Hirose, who was
killed March q, in the second attempt
to bottle up Port Arthur was inferred
today with military honors.