Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-01-05
NEARING ITS MISERABLE END

London, Jan. /. - A dispatch from
Chefu to the Daily Telegraph says:
A messenger from Port Arthur
states that the Japanese have mount
Cd eight guns commanding positions
north Of the Else forts, but they SUI
fered heavy losses by the Russian
dre.
The Russians have abandoned the
new town, but the Japanese have been
unable to occupy it: because Of fear
that it has been mined.
Cannot Hold Out Longer.
Toxic, Jan. 1. - The navy depart.
ment last night published letter
written by man on the battleship Sc
vastopol, which has fallen into the
hands Of the Japanese. The writer
despairs of relief of tho fortress and
tells of destruction wrought by Jap
ansse shells. He says the Russians
are resigned to their fate and are de:
termined to fight to a finish rather
than suffer the shame of surrender
owing to starvation. The letter says
in part: @'.s'
1.-THE fortress cannot resist after
December. The progress Of the en-.
emy in reducing our principal line of
outer defenses n not fully known, but
It 10 irresistible.
I'VE are sadly disappoint ed over
the non-arrival Of the second Pacific
squadron. and are daily nearing our
miserable end.".'
Taking R'hIYne Fort.
Chicago, Jan. 1.-The Daily News
prints a dispatch from it's correspond.
ent at the headquarters Of the third
Japanese army before Port Arthur,
which says: e.
1T is thought here from the com.
parative ease with which, the enor.
mously strong Rihlung fort was cap,
tured that the Russians are finding 1t
increasingly difficult to spare sum.
cient men to defend their far-dung
line Of defenses. After the first ter.
RHO explosion of dynamite, which rent
the walls of the fort and killed mum.
bers Of Russians, the Japanese as
saulting forces effected a lodgment in
the front main works and captured
the first line of light guns.
"This position, however, was en-
liladed by the guns on the Else noun.
tain fort, and it became necessary to
Renew the eombardment
of Rihlung. The main defenses were
torn and pounded and alternately sub.
jected to attacks by companies of
Japanese. At p. m. the whole line
advanced, scaled the wall, and, car.
rying the second line, where tho
heavy guns were posted, went clear
through to the gorge, where the rem
nant of the Russian defenders still
held out in strong barracks of ma
sorry work:
From this they were ultimately
driven at 3 a. M, leaving In the hands
oof the Japanese three prisoners,
four large and seven small siege guns.
thirty quick-frers and two machine
guns. The garrison that so CALAMITY
defended the fort consisted of 500
men Of the Twenty-sixth regiment Of
East Siberian sharpshooters."
Greet Togo az Hero.
Toxic, Jan. 1.-Admiral Togo and
Vice. Admiral Kamimura, with their
stats, arrived, at the Shimbassi sta
ton at 9:20 o'clock yesterday. Their
journey from Kure to Toxic was q
continuous ovation.
At an early hour yesterday tho
streets were filled and the city was
gaily decorated with flags, lanterns
and New Year decorations. Represen-
tatives Of the emperor and empress.
Prince Fushimi, :Jr., elder statesmen,
ministers, prominent Japanese and
thousands Of school children, greeted
the arrival of the naval heroes at the
station. The presidents of both houses
Of the diet pre- scented them with the
resolution of commendatfon passed by
their respective branches Of parlia-
ment.
The quiet, gray-bearded Admiral
Togo, in blue service uniform,
seemed embarrassed at the noisy ova-
ton.
Cold Kills Russian Troops.
st. Petersburg, Jan. 1. - Informa-
ton to ofiicerssof the general staff il
to the effect that the excessively cold
nights are working havoc with Gen.
kuropatkin's forces. According to
this authority not fewer than 700 men
have died from exposure.
Unusual Honor for TAFT.