The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-16
RUSSIANS ANGRY OVER
RUMORS OF SURRENDER
Official at St. Petersburg Says
Nothing Warrants Reports that
Port Arthur Has Fallen.
PLANS Or KUROPATKIN

ST PETERSBURG. March 15.-From the
highest official quarters the Associated
Press has received information that there
is absolutely foundation for the rumors
persistently sent out from Toxic that the
Russians are abandoning Port Arthur
1T Is the veriest nonsense" said the
official informant OF the Associated Press
Nothing has occurred there to warrant
Such reports The japanese fleet has not
been seen for forty-eight hours The motive
or the government at Toxic in spreading
this story is probably to influence public
feellnS In Japan for the purpose of Great
ing enthusiasm while a war loan is being
floated."
The newspapers here manifest the great
est Indignation over the report, the Boerse
Gazette characterizing it as Outrageous and
a British invention. Attention is recirected
to the order OF the day issued by Lieut.
General Stoessel. commander at Port Ar
thur. in which he declared that that place
would never be surrendered as representing
the Russian position. Relative to this point
military officer said to the Associated
Press: This mere statement carries its
own REPUTATION. unless we meant to beat an
lgnopie retreat all along the line. If
abandon Port Arthur we leave our fleet
discuss"
General Kuropatl<in expects to reach
Mukoen March &c. Everything will be side
tracked IN order to set him TO the front on
schedule time The general may proceed on
,nyIns Visit 10 Fort Arthur but he is more
Hheiy 10 enter at once upon his duties as
commander-in-chief of the Manchurian
s,Lny: de bears an autograph letter from
the Emperor TO Viceroy Alexieff to whom
lie will report. 1t Is understood that the
viceroy then will turn the entire di-
Tscton or the land operations to General
urh will IL
10 the Emperor through the viceroy but
practically this is the only point which
Vlceroy Alexieff will maintain superiority.
General kurOpatkin had his plan of cam
paign practically perfected before he left
here for the far East. He returned to St
petersburg quietly from his country seat
and his presence here was not known for
four days. These four days he devoted TO
the elaboration of his plans in conjunction
with his stan and with the aid OF all the
information in possession Of the Ministry
or War as well as OF the special reports
from the theater OF
a superstitious idea prevails here that
General kuropatkin will signaliZe his BIRTH
day, which occurs on March 30, and which
Is also his patron saints day, with some
important act.
On account OF the difficulty of housing
the vast number Of troops poured into
Mukden, 1900 have been sent forward
within the last few days toward the Yalu
river, as reinforcements for the 1000 troops
already at kasan and Anju, and the stream
of soldiers from European Russia is now
being held at Hardin. The housing prob
lem Will disappear with the advent of
warmer weather, but in the meantime
the government is lurrying forward large
numbers OF portal 10 collapsible wooden
quarters. 1.sO0 OF these having already been
dispatched from st. Petersburg and 5000
from Moscow.
Prince Louis Napoleon has gone to the
Caucasus, accompanied by Prince Marat
Prince Louis Napoleon will relinquish his
command OF the cavalry division of the
Caucasus and then proceed to the far
East. where he Will take supreme command
of the cavalry under General Kuropatkin.
General Niedermuller has gone TO the
front to take chage of the military COM
munications and will be responsible for the
regular movement of military trains
The dowager Empress to-day inspected
her own Red Cross detachment, which is
proceeding TO the front
The statement by General Zilinski the
Russians found poisoned swords left by
the fleeing japanese has aroused much
comment Similar swords We're used by
the Chinese during the Boxer rebellion
especially In Manchuria, and the slightest
wound inflicted by them proved fatal
The use OF such weapons is prohibited by
the Geneva and The Hague conventions.