The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-10

in the earlier days OF the nghtlnS
and the churches are crowded with
wives, mothers and sisters praying
that their loved ones be spared At
last all classes seem to have Joined IN
the common grief
All hope of KurOpatkin waiting for
an opportune moment to strike and
convert defeat into victory has been
abandoned even by the military critics
and the papers in dolorous strain
chronicle the last and worst reverse
to the Russian arms The only consO-
latiOn they find is that the Russian
troops have been conquered by Won
derful foe declaring there is something
uncanny about the desperate expedlenC
which the japanese successfully en-
ployed at DinuShantun, when during
the storm the japanese lines actually
faced about, apparently firing INTO Ihelr
own reserves. deceiVing the russians
and backing into the Russian wire en-
tanglements before the ruSe was dis
covered. History, military men say,
does not parallel such desperate fanatic
ferVOr The papers at the same time
are filed with recrimination. Russian
diplomacy is blamed for not including
in the theatre of the operations the
territory to the west of Sinmintin road
which Field Marshal Oyama used TO
accomplish his bold turning movement
and criticism is heaped upon kurOpat-
kin. The Russ, however, while ad-
mitting Kuropatkin's faults as a strate-
gist insist that the responsibility should
not be shouldered by him alone.
Many Guns Captured.
Toxic. March 1O.=Noon.=It is un-
officially reported that the Russian
strength west of Mukden consists OF
| two corps. The Japanese who de-
| strOyed the railroad are pressing the
Russians northward, and the portion
| of the japanese center pressing the
Russians northward along the Muk-
den road is now engaged, SIX miles
north of the Hun river
The extreme Japanese right is with
/ in five miles of Fushun-
Nearly all the Russian heavy guns
and many field guns have been cap
tured. The Russians seem to be NOV
/ ing eastward toward Fushun with the
object of retiring north.
The above reference to the fighting
north of the Hun river conflicts with
the official reports, but possibly is
! later news.
Part of KuropatIxin's Plan.
Paris, March 1O.-The Russian en-
| bassy officials explain General J<uro-
patlxins retreat as being part of Il set
tied plan. They say the real strug-
gle will occur at Harbin, where the
Russians will concentrate large REIN
| fOrcem entS
Russians Take to tile Hills.
New Chwang. March 1e.-Accord-
ing to reliable information received
here the Russians having been driven
out of Mukden and Fushun, and, with
| the railroad cut, are retreating in a
: demora.lized condition to the hill
country towards the northeast.
Detached bodies of Russians are
roughly entrenching with q view to
! checking the pursuit, but no great
rear guard action is being fought. 1t
| Will be impossible for the Russians to
keep up any sort of resistance for
provisioning in the rough country to
| which they are retreating.
1t is believed that the Russians
may attempt to reach Kirin, 225 miles
northeast of Mukden, through the
valleys. but a special Japanese corps
from the direction of the Yalu river
| (probably General Kawamura' s
| fcrces) threatens to cut them off.
General Kuroki is advancing north
west and is forcing the Russians
against General NOgi's army.
The casualties on both sides have
/ been enormous. The Russian Sixteenth
initiated at Tatchekiao. Eight thou
sand Russians fell at Leukuanpao-
Gloom in st. Petersburg Is Intense.
St. Petersburg, March 10.=The dis
patches of the Associated Press from
/ Toxic and Yinkow today announcing
| that Mukden had fallen and that the
Japanese had captured thousands of
/ prisoners and enormous quantities of
| stores and guns only confirm the
| worst fears entertained here, the dis
patches of the Associated Press re-
ceived here last night having shown
that the trap was sprung. The an
nouncement furnished a miserable
end to the Russian carnival week.
This being a holiday the war Office
was closed to the public, hundreds OF
/ people in quest of news besfeging the
! door in vain Inside the gloom was
intense officers stood around dis
cussing the catastrophe seemingly
without a ray of hope. At O'Clock
the officer of the general staff wha
gives out official dispatches ap-
preached a group of waiting foreign
\ correspondents and said disconsolate-