The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-10

CHAT A.
zF g.
THE UNEASY CHAIR

& The SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR BY
ELECTROMAGNETIC There is no need
TO nave been with the Japs outside of Port
Arthur, while the history of the horrible
siege OF that position was being made,
to appreciate in sufficient degree the
appalling conditions that prevailed. Rich
ard Barry in Port Arthur: a Monster Hero
Ism, has given series Of pictures of the
contest WILDLY. intensely, almost revolt
lnsly realistic. Were it not for the CLAM
or OF Japanese heroism magnificent in the
true sense OF that word, not monstrous,)
one would turn away from the pictures
sickened with horror. But that heroism
glor1fies the pictures, and somehow leaves
one with the feeling. deep-seated in the
Japanese, that there are things worth
dying for.
There Is scarcely any choice among the
pictures as to the graphic power with
which they are presented, tho the drawing
is often rugged, unfinished, sometimes un-
couth. For example, it is hardly less in
teresttng to read Of the childish games OF
the Japanese soldiers when in camp and
of their music, chosen to soothe and quiet,
rather than to inspirit and set the pulse
children's games, to the cham
Der music of women" for men who in a
few hours will be running to embrace
death-than it is to read of Nogis pet
who desperately wounded and lying in
a position exposed to the enemy's
fire, slit vein in his arm to Stake
his thirst. The reader again is just
as much absorbed in the way the little
brown men changed their linen before
going into battle, that they might
die clean and thereby find a place among
the Shinto shades, as he is to know that
the Russians, from thei. forts. picked off
the Japanese wounded, that their bodies
might rot and drive their comrades from
below" Yet, If there is one story that
stands out as an example Of grim herolsm
in the face of death and suffering, it is
that of a Jap shot by the Russians, in this
picking off process, after his legs had
been crushed by a shell fragment. His
second wound was received while he was
reaching for a bottle of water, thrown
| from a Japanese trench, because the SOL
diers in the trench dared not expose them
selves to the Russian fire from above.
After receiving his second wound the sol
der lay still until night covered his move
ments. Then he began to crawl, as ne
thought toward his friends. He fell into
| a trench, deserted except for two com
rades, also desperately wounded. He
shared his bottle of water with them, and
then F.. ,s->.-5 .af ..
AS they were drinking figure slouched along
| the trench and blocked the doorway. 1t wore {
black visored cap, shiny with celluloid-a Rus
sian cap. Searching the gloom the Russian fount
the three wounded soldiers Then he poked hi
rife in and fred three bullets-one at the brai1
of each. Two died instantly. The third-tht
| soldier who had already survived as by miracle
passed into what he thought the rigor O.
| death. All grew black before his eyes. Neve
from that moment to this-seventeen days late
has he ever seen glimmer. nor will h.
| ever see again. The bullet passed across hi
eyes as he lay side down and shattered tn
optic nerve.
-fs s3rs
For five days the soldier lay in the dugout
unable to move, unable to see, numb fror
long suffering. Almost crazed by thirst an
hunger he at length severed the arteries of on
of his fallen comrades, newly dead, and live
on He found worms crawling in the wounds o
his legs. He tore up the shirt Of a corpse an
bound them ~ s,Bs
He missed his way in his blindness
when he started crawling again. But h
kept on-for% twelve days. "He found
few new dead with biscuit in their pocket
, and blood in their veins-this saved him.
A shocking picture? Yes. WAR
hell. and the only excuse for printing
picture of it now and then is that tn
voice of the world may be lifted agains
war. The picture also shows something c
Mr.. Barry's bald but graphic method.
l Moffat, Yard & Co., New York. "
81 so net