The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-08
General KurOpatkin's Army Has
Been Finally Defeated.
Battle ON Which Hung Fate OF
Mukden Il Lost.
is IN FULL RETREAT
Is Making His Way NOrthward
as Fast as He Can.
The News Greats No Surprise in
st. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg. March SIS p m
A dispatch OF the Associated Press
from its correspondent with the army
of General Kuroki. announces The
withdrawal Of the Russians from
their positions on the Shakhe river
and that the Russians We're in full re-
treat. 1t is the first definite news re-
ceived here to the effect that the bat
tie was lost and that General Kuro-
patkfn was making the best of his
way northward. 1t does not come un-
expectedly. The defeat of General
kuropatkin has been expected since
Field Marshal Oyama made his bril-
liant stroke against the Russian right.
Toxic, March s.-The japanese cap
tured Machuntan southeast of BIukden
at O'Clock this morning.
st. Petersburg. March s.--1:5O P. NJ.
Toxic dispatches announcing that
General Kuroki is making progress and
had already approached a point a
miles south of Frushun yesterday. show
3ng that Lieutenant General Linevitch,
commander Of the First Manchurian
army is again giving way, is the latest
and worst word which reached St. Pc
tersburg this morning regarding the
situation at the front
Still Holding 8Iukden.
St Petersburg, March S.-2.45 p. m.-
The Associated Press il now in a posi-
tion to positively deny the current RI
mors that General kurOpatkin's lines of
communication have been cut Within
an hour cipher dispatch from Kuro-
patkin to Emperor Nicholas. containing
a report Of the days operations has ar
rived and is now being transmitted to
Tsarskoe-SelO. Its contents are un-
known except that Kuropatkin at night
fall still held Mukden-
The Associated Press hears from
high source that the position Of the
Russian left is critical Compelled by
the failure of Generals OlSu and Nogf
TO crush the Russian right yesterday
Field Marshal Oyama again transferred
the weight to his right and General
Kurod succeeded in driving IN wedge
between General Linevitch's main army
and General Rennenkanpff's corps,
which is in the extreme left. The latter
is declared to be in grave danger or be-
ing cut off or surrounded.
Russians Fear It's All Over.
St. Petersburg March S.-With the
fate of the gigantic struggle between
General KuropatIkin and Field Marshal
Oyama probably already decided, as II
is now Z o'clock at night in Mukden
and St. Petersburg waiting breathless
for news, ominous silence reigns-
No private or press dispatches giving
news of today's battle have yet arrived
here and the mere fact that the cur
tain is run down, taking leaf out OF
past experience, is pessimlSttcally m
terpreted. There are ugly rumOrs cir
culating in the streets that the day is
lost and that the Russian army is in
full and disorderly retreat with only the
gallant rear end fighting off the victori-
GUS Japanese
According to other rumors the lack
of news is accounted for by the report
that the Japanese have cut the Russian
lire of communications. But these are
still rumors All the military critics
this morning, however, agree that Ku-
ropatkin's position is extremely critical
and that today should decide the issue
Moreover the alOrlty are OF the OpIn-
ion that kuropatkin has held his
ground as long as possible and that
they are unable to see how if beaten he
can escape utter ruin, at the same time
all dwell on kuropatkin'S excessive
prudence. his refusal to take the risks
of war at an opportune moment being
indeed the cause of much censure and
the fact that he has stuck to his posi-
tions. therefore encourages the hope
that he is preparing for great counter
stroke such as he planned at Lao
Yang. but fiinched before when General
Orloff's corps was crushed.
The situation at Lao Yang is now
duplicated with the turning movement
reversed. Kuropatkin behind strong
works is holding the Japanese center
and right while concentrating for a
blow at the japanese turning column
on the plain west of BIukden. Those
who still pin their faith to kuropatkin
declare he must have concentrated all
his reserves on his right flank and that
he has been waiting for the moment
when the Herculean efforts of the Japa-
nese to crush and envelop that wing
viii be exhausted, in order to launch
blow which viii determine whether he
is the victor or the vanquished.
First Four Days OF Fighting.
With the Japanese Left Armies, Sat
urday, March 4, 10 D. m, via Tien
Tsin, March S.-The first four days
fighting on this flank has ended as sue
cessfuily as the Japanese could wish.
It has resulted in the complete turn
ing of the Russian right and promises
the certain defeat of the entire Rus
sian army. 1t is hard to see how the
Russians can possibly hope for any
other result. The left Japanese arm
les have swung north to a point on
the main highway five miles north
of the ATukden line. The two left
armies which are executing the turn
ing movement are now parallel to and
four miles westward of the railroad.
The two armies swung around with
Chantan as a pivot until they reached
position at right angles with the
original line and are now advancing
directly east The Russians made a
strong fight at the start, but later
their resistance was slight, their men
Tetreating in disorder before the on
ward rush of the Japanese who have
advanced over 20 miles IN four days
constantly in touch with the Russians.
The Russians had many strong de-
fenseS in several lines. but did not
The soldiers everywhere are dis
heartened by the fall of Port Arthur