Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-09-09
Japanese PURSUE
FLEEING RUSSIANS
A CONTINUOUS REAR GUARD
FIGHTING WHILE KURo-
PATKIN RETREATS.
MlKADo's TROOPS TAKE
THE TOWN OF YENTAl

Not Yet Known Whether Kuropatkin
Will Make Another Stand at Muk-
den-Japs Nearing Latter City,
and Another Battle Near.
ton with the Japanese who hang to his |
tanks, Kuropatkin continues to fall
back over the roads made sodden by |
two days heavy rain. The heads OF |
his long commissary trains have passed |
through Mukden and continue north /
ward. 1t is reported that in spite of the
bad roads and persistent attacks on the
Russian rear, the retreat is orderly. /
Details of the fighting and the exact po-
sition of the opposing armies are lack
ing. The Russian general staff, while !
admitting it has received no official adj
vices since Monday evening, denies the
report that Kuropatkin's rear guard has
been annihilated. From Toxic comes
the official report that the bulk of the
Russian forces is still at Yentai.
Whether or not Kuropatkin will make
another stand at Mukden is not indi-
Gated in Tuesdays advices. In st.
Petersburg it is argued that the fact
that his commissary trains passed on
through Mukden does not indicate that
the Russian commander proposes to
evacuate the city without struggle, but
only that they are taking up their proper
position in the rear.
Kuroki Occupies Yentai.
Toxic, Sept Tt is reported here
that the Russians have retired beyond
Yentai. Gen. Kuroki has occupied the
town. A portion of the Russian force
remains at Yingshuissu, south of Yentai,
where the bulk of the Russian army is
assembled.
Retreat Of Kuropatkin.
Mukden, Sept. 1.-THE retreat Of Gen.
Kuropatkin's army is being carried out
in good order, despite the terrible con-
dition of the roads, rendered sodden by
the rains which fell Monday and Tues
day, which mire the numbering guns and
heavy transport trains. Long lines Of
commissariat wagons, drawn by steam
ing mules, horses and even bullocks, are
straining their way north over the soak
ing, cut up main road from Yentai. Be-
hind them come long trains of artillery,
and back of them still Kuropatkin's
army. The Japanese are hanging on
Kuropatkin's tanks, keeping the Rus
SLAMS engaged in continuous rear
guard action. The progress Of the re-
treating army has been slow, owing to
the necessity of first getting through the
baggage and guns; but the heads of
the commissariat trains already have
passed through Mukden and are con-
tinuing their way towards the north.
The main japanese army is marching
up along the roads eastward of the Rus
sian lines of retreat, which converge
at Mukden. Another Japanese force Is
also heading for Mukden from the west
ward, coming from the direction Of the
Lao river. Marshal Oyama seems to be
making race for Mukden. He evident
ly has great superiority in numbers
especially in artillery. AS this dispatch
was filed the correspondent OF the press
could hear the booming of the Japanese
cannon, which are in play IA miles from
air is sitting with the sense of suffoca-
ton which is felt here before storm
breaks-strange harmony between the
elements and the menacing attitude Of
the contending armies
War Office Not Worried.
st. Petersburg, Sept apparently
the war Office is not greatly disturbed
by fear that Field Marshal Oyama will
cut off Gen. Kuropatkin before be
reaches Mukden. According to the lat
est advices the Russian retreat is being
effected in good order. The heads of
transport trains passed through Muk-
den Monday at noon, and the fact that
the baggage trains continued on their
way northward of Mukden, the war
Office explains, does not mean that Kuro-
patkin is found further north at this
time, but is simply natural precau-
tionary measure, even If he intended to
hold Mukden, the Russian formation
during the operations of any army locat-
ing the baggage train IA miles and the
ambulance corps four miles in the rear
of the main body Of troops.
JdpS PRESSING the near.
The news from the front indicates
that Oyama, having failed to surround
Kuropatkin at Liaoyang, is pressing
Kuropatkin's rear with all the power of
his tired troops, while hurrying for
ward column which crossed the Tai
tse river at Bensihu, 30 miles northeast
of Liaoyang and five miles due east of
Yentai station, in the hope of cutting
the Russian line of retreat below Mukden.
This column may consist of fresh troops
in light marching order The Bensihu
road joins the main road from Yentai,
where the latter is intersected by the
Hun river, three miles below Mukden.
Once this point is passed Kuropatkin's
army will have the Hun river between
1t and Oyama. The only uneasiness is
due to the possibility that Japanese light
draft gunboats. which, according to re-
ports. are coming up from Newchwang,
might suddenly make their appearance,
the river being navigable to this point.
As Kuropatkin was just north Of YEN
tai when the heads of transport entered
Mukden Monday. ii Is evident that the
retreating column is over Is miles long.
The Russian general staff denies the
report which was in circulation here
Monday night of the annihilation of
Gen. Kuropatkin's rear guard Accord
ing to the latest adv1ces OF the STAN
no Russian force was cut off, and it is
believed that there is little danger Of
the Japanese intercepting Kuropatkin