The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-09-22
SIEGE IS TURNED
INTO SLAUGHTER
RED CROSS AND TRUCE FLAGS
IGNORED AT PORT ARTHUR.
SITUATION is MOST HORRIBLE
600 Japanese Who Surrendered Shot
Down BY Friend and Foe-Dead
Lie Unburied-The attack
is On Again.

Chefoo, Sept. 19.-Local students of
the military situation at Port Arthur.
basing their deductions upon recent de-
velopments there, are of the opinion
that another grand assault is either oc-
curing at the present time or is immi-
nent. This opinion is based on the very
heavy bombardment of the Russian
stronghold that occurred on September
16, for such bombardment forms the
usual prelude to an assault; on the ar
rival here of important messengers
from Port Arthur at a time when the
running of the blockade is extremely
perilous; on recent authoritative state
ment that the Japanese siege works are
completed, and on reports from jap
anese sources that at Port Dalny an as
sault was expected to take place il few
days. These reports were received last
week.
Belligerents Are Merciless.
Chefoo, Sept. 19.--According to Prince
Radzivil, of the Russian army, who
reached here from Port Arthur bearing
dispatches from Lieut. Gen. Stoessel, COM
mander-in-chief of the forces Of the Rus
sian stronghold, to Gen. Kuropatkin, the
temper Of the belligerents at Port Arthur
has reached an absolutely merciless
stage. Prince Radzivil served with the
British in the Boer war and he says that
until he became aware of the state of
affairs at Port Arthur he had no idea
that war could be so horrible. Itwas set
forth in these dispatches some weeks
ago that serious suspicious were enter
tanned by both belligerents that the
other was misusing 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 surrender are not re-
spected by either side.
Expect No Quarter.
Prince Radzivil declares that the men
of both armies are absolutely venomous
in their antagonism. Lieut. Gen. Stoes-
sci has addressed his garrison saying
that the present mood of the Japanese
indicates clearly the necessity of resist
ing them to the last drop of Russian
blood, because if the japanese soldiers
entered the fortress it undoubtedly
would be impossible for their officers to
control them and prevent massacre.
| For this reason Lieut. Gen. Stoessel is
making no objection to civilians leav-
| ing Port Arthur. When the 300 woneT II
who are in Port Arthur engaged in hos
pital work were advised to leave, they
replied that they would rather face the
| possibility of massacre than desert their
| posts.
Dead Unburied.
! In consequence of the fact that flags
of truce are ignored, numbers Of Jap
| anese dead who have been lying on the
slopes Of the hills of the northeast de-
! fenses for weeks past are still unburied,
! and the stencil in Port Arthur from de-
composing bodies, when the wind is in
the right direction, is almost unendur-
able. The Russian soldiers, who are in
some cases posted only so PAGES from
heaps Of decaying dead, have constantly
! to wear over their noses handkerchiefs
soaked in campbor, as otherwise they
would be unable to remain at their
posts.
a CHASTITY Field Of Horror.
In the course Of the assaults which
took place in the four last days of Au-
/ gust two companies Gsf japanese soldiers,
: according to Prince Radzivil, found
themselves at the mercy of the Russians
and hoisted a white flag. To this, how
ever, the Russians paid no attention and
! continued to volley rapidly into the help
/ less ranks Of the enemy. In the mean
time 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 rear. AS
result Of this fire from friend and foe,
GOO men were annihilated. The dead fell
. among the decomposing bodies of pre-
vious assaults For days after the
I wounded men in this area raised fut-
tering handkerchiefs in their hands in
, pleas for help, but the Russians were
afraid to venture out to give succort
Within week the army had made its
last unregarded prayer for help, and the
shambIes was quiet but ghastly field
of horror,