The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-19
Neither Side Respects the Red
Cross Flag OR Flag Of
Truce
SITUATION BECOMES AN
AWFUL DEATH STRUGGLE
unburied Dead About the Fortress FIJI
Air With Uncomfortable Odor-Ja-
panese Preparing for An
other Big Assault.

Che Foo, September 10. 9:30 p. Mac
cording to Lieutenant Prince Radzlvil Of
the Russian army, who reached here to-
day from Port Arthur bearing dispatches
from Lieutenant General Stoessel, the
commanders -in-chief of the forces of the
Russian stronghold, to General Kuropat-
kin, the temper of the belligerents at Port
Arthur has reached an absolutely merci-
less attack
Prince Radzlyil served with the Brit
ish In the Boer war, and he says that un-
I'll he became aware of the state of affairs
at 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 belligerents that the
other was misusing the Red Cross nag.
These suspicious have been increased by
the commission of various acts by the
soldiers OF both armies, until now even
flags of truce or surrender are not re-
spected by either side.
Prince Radzivil declares that the men
their antagonism Lieutenant General
Stoessel has addressed his garrison, say
Ing that the present mood of the Japa-
nese indicates clearly the necessity of re-
sistlng them to the last drop of Russian
blood because II the Japanese soldiers en-
tered the fortress 1t undoubtedly would
be impossible for their officers to control
them and prevent a massacre.
Allows Civilians to Leave.
For this reason Lieutenant General
stoessel is making no objection to civil
isns leaving Port Arthur. When the 300
women VINO are in Port Arthur engaged
In hospital work were advised to leave,
they replied they would rather face the
possibility of massacre than desert their
posts
In consequence of the fact that flags
of truce are ignored numbers of Japanese
dead who have been lying on the slopes
of the hills of the northeast defences Tor
weeks past, are still unburied, and the
stencil In Port Arthur from decomposing
bodies, when the wind is in the right di-
rection, is almost unendurable. The Rus
sian soldiers who in some cases are post
ed fifty PAGES from heaps of decaying
dead, have constantly to wear over their
noses handkerchefs soaked in camphor,
or otherwise they would be unable to re-
main at their posts.
White Flag Not Respected.
In the course of the assaults which
took place in the four last days of Aug
ust. two companies of Japanese SOLDIERS,
according to Prince Radzivil, found them
selves at the mercy of the Russians and
hoisted a white flag. To this, however,
the Russians paid no attention and con-
tinued to volley rapidly into the helpless
ranks of the enemy. In the meantime
Japanese troops in the rear of the com
panies that had raised the white nag
saw what their comrades had done, and
expressed their disapproval of the sur
render by firing into their rear
AS result of this fire from friend and
foe. 600 men were annihilated. The dead
/ fell among the decomposng bodies OF
| nreyious assaults For days afterwards
the wounded men in tAis area raised nut
tering handkerchiefs in their hands in
pleas for help, but the Russians were
| afraid to venture out to give succor.
Within week the army had made It's
! last unregarded prayer for help, and
| the shambles was quiet out gnastly
| field of horror. Among the heaps OF dead
tbe nriuce saw two soldiders, one a Rus
sian and the other a Japanese lying In a
| death embrace The teeth of the Japan
ese were sunk in the Russians throat
while the Russian had forced two OF MS
| fingers into the eye sockets OF his an
! tagonist.
The prince cited this as merely an In
] cident denoting the ferocity OF the con
fiict at Port Arthur. The prince VII
leave here tomorrow to rejoin Genera
| Kuropatkin.
Fortress Well Supplied.
Continuing his interview with the cor
respondent, the prince said
'.rhe stories in circulation concerning
the shortage of ammunition and provis'
| ions at Port Arthur are not true. Ihere
Is an abundance of ammunition Tor potn
/ large and small arms. and plenty oi
preserved food. The use OF chinese shens
| was merely a saving measure.
~ left Lieutenant General Stoessei IN
tho hest of spirits He Is encouraged by
! the heroic example set by the wounded
men. of whom 5000 out of the original 500
in hospitals have returned to the front
.'There has been no fighting since sep
tember l with the exception Oh artiiiery
| and outer exchanges.
! .srbe Japanese shells have done great
damage to the hospital and other build
| ines in Port Arthur. but the losses ol
| life from these bombardments has beer
very slight.
MADAME Stoessel, wife of the general
Is at the head of the Red Cross work II
/ Port Arthur. She Is In constant attehd
ance at the hospital and cares tenderiS
| for wounded men. In addition to this ex
hausting work she finds time to give sue
cor to orphans and widows, and to super
intend the making Of bandages. TIT
soldiers consider her their guardian an
! gel
| .'The garrison Is maintaining q strong
| and devoted martial spirit, and has grea'
| confidence in Lieutenant General Stoes'
sci.
Newspaper Is Suppressed.
"The newspaper Nou Krai has beer
suppressed for one month for having
published matter considered to be detri'
mental to Russian interests.
/ Acts of heroism during the hghtine
| have been numerous. One company ol
Russian troops was occupying perilous
outpost and when they found their posi-
ton to be untenable, they sent the fol
lowing message to Lieutenant Genera
| Stoessel.
1--WE are unable to hold this position.
CONTINUED on Second Page.)