New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1904-12-21
JAPANESE CAPTURE
fort BY STORM
Explode MINE UNDER NORTH
DEFENSE ON EAST KEEK-
WAN MOUNTAIN.
THE MtkADO LOSES
FOUR TORPEDO BOATS

Russian Officer Who Escaped from
Port Arthur Tells of Conditions in
City Also Describes Capture of
High Hill.
Toxic, Dec DENOMINATION has
been received here of the report that
the Japanese army besieging Port Ar
thur has stormed and captured North
fort, on East KeekWan mountain. alter
exploding a mine under the fortlfica-
TONS
Four Jap Boats Lost.
Tientsin, Dec pa junk which ar
rived here Monday from Port Arthur re-
ports that four Japanese torpedo boats
were sunk during the attacks on the Rus
sian battleship SeVastopol. which they
say has now sought refuge under Golden
hill. The japanese, the Chinese added,
are spreading false reports of their sue
cesses in order to facilitate the negotia-
ton of fresh loans abroad.
Conditions at Port Arthur.
Chefoo, Dec TO-. Commander Mizzen-
eoff, who was executive officer of the
Russian battleship Poltava until that
vessel was disarmed, and who on De-
cember 15 headed the party Of seven
Russians who left Port Arthur in sail
boat and arrived here Friday with dis
patches, said in an interview that Port
Arthur is a desolate and, excepting for
the firing of guns, a silent place.
THE Russians said he, are hus-
banding their artillery ammunition, fir
ing only when the effect will be certain
There are 5000 men in the line of forts
and their periods of rest are few. The
generals, except Gen. Stoessel, live in
the forts. Every building in the whole
town is more or less injured. Gen.
Stoessel has put the entire population
on regular rations sufficient to last three
months. The ammunition is sufficient
to last much longer. I believe the jap
anese will never take the fortress under
present conditions. Port Arthur never
looked more sepulchral than on the night
of December 8, when the Japanese shells
repeatedly hit hospital, killing seven
OF the patients. The hospitals contain
5000 patients. The Sevastopol is the
only warship that has not been dis
armed"
A Terrible Struggle.
Chefoo, Dec. 20. For ferocity and
sustained desperation on both sides.
the struggle for the possession of High
hill probably was the most remarkable
in the history of the siege of Port Ar
thur-a siege noted for slaughter This
statement is based on an interview with
Commander Mizzeneoff, executive Off
Ger of the battleship Poltava, up to the
time the vessel was disarmed. and who.
as already told, headed the party of
seven Russians who left Port Arthur
in sail boat on December Is and after
extreme suffering while crossing in a
driving snowstorm arrived here Deem
Der L., bearing dispatc- which were
turned over to the Russian consul for
transmission to ST. Petersburg.
Commander Mizzeneoff, who was
wounded in the leg during the battle
of High hill. said: Since the Japan
csc, November %, began their attack
High hill, which they call 2O3- Metre
hill, the fighting has been continuous
The steep and sandy slopes of the hill
were streaked and dotted with snow
when the Japanese began the battle
winch was destined to furnish so many
deeds of heroism that they became
commonplace. There was so much
slaughter that even Port Arthur's war
hardened veterans shuddered at the
sight.
japanese were compelled to Chamber
up the slopes of the hill, in many cases
without firing, in the face of one of the
most murderous deluges ever poured
from rifles and machine guns 1t was
there and it seemed to me that flesh
and blood would be unable to stand ouI
fire for a minute. The enemy went
down in squads and companies, but al
ways there were others grimly coming
forward. Their bravery was beyond
praise, as was that of our own men
Sometimes the fighting was hand-to
hand, with the muzzles of the rifles al
the breasts of the contestants, the bay
onets being used as swords.
Strewn with the Dead
1.-The sides of the hill were strewn
with bodies and the snow was crimsoned
with the blood of the wounded, some OF
whom had craWled into it, seeking in its
coldness surcease for their dying agon-
les. Eventually, as in similar instances
which were to follow, we retired, leav-
ing the work of driving the enemy from
the summit to the resistless guns of the
neighboring forts, notably those Of
Liaoti mountain.
when the Japanese retired under ar
artillery fire the Russians reoccupied ths
summit. The second and third assaults
were replicas of the first. although the
second was the most ferocious, being
nearly all hand-to-hand fighting, il
which mercy was neither asked moi
given
| Losses Enormous.
tsThe assaults thus far had cost thu