The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1905-01-06
RUSS ABANDON
TIE new Town
JAps UNABLE TO OCCUPY 1T BE-
CAUSE OF FEARS 1T HAS
BEEN MINED.
PORT ARTHUR ABOUT 10 FALL
JAPs MOUNT EIGHT GUNS CON-
HANDING POSITIONS NORTH
OF ELSE FORTS
PORT ARTHUR ABOUT TO FALL
NEARING ITS MISERABLE END
RUSSIAN SAYS PORT ARTHUR
CANNOT HOLD OUT AFTER
DECEMBER.

OESEM6En.
London, Jan ]. A dispatch from
Chefu to the Daily Telegraph says:
A messenger from Port Arthur
states that the Japanese have mount
ed eight guns commanding positions
north of the Else forts, but they suf-
fered heavy losses by the Russian
fire.
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. /. - The navy depart
ment last night published letter
written by a man on the battleship Sc
vastopol, which has fallen into the
hands of the Japanese. The writer
despairs of relief of the fortress and
tells OF destruction wrought by Jap
anese 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:
THE fortress cannot resist after
December The progress of the en-
envy in reducing our principal line of
outer defenses is not fully known, but
it is irresistible.
I'VE are sadly disappointed over
the non-arrival of the second Pacific
squadron, and are daily nearing our
miserable end.''
Taking Rihung Fort.
Chicago Jan. 1.-The Daily News
prints dispatch from it's correspond
ent at the headquarters of the third
Japanese army before Port Arthur,
which says:
| 1T is thought here from the com
parative case with which the enor-
mously strong Rihlung fort was cap
| tured that the Russians are finding it
increasingly difficult to spare suffi-
Gent men to defend their far-fung
line of defenses. After the first ter
rife explosion of dynamite, which rent
the walls of the fort and killed num-
bers of Russians. the Japanese as
saulting forces effected a Judgment in
the front main works and captured
the first line of light guns
This position, however, was en-
filaded by the guns on the Else noun.
tain fort, and it became necessary to
Renew the Bombardment
of Rihlung. The main defenses were
torn and pounded and alternately sub.
1ected to attacks by companies of
Japanese. At 4 p. m. the whole line
advanced, scaled the wall, and, car
rying the second line, where the
heavy guns were posted, went clear
through to the gorge, where the rem
nant of the Russian defenders still
held out in a 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-firers 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 as Hero.
Toxic, Jan. Admiral Togo and
vice Admiral Kamimura, with their
stats, arrived at the shimbassi sta.
ton at 800 o'clock yesterday. Their
Journey from Kure to Toxic was a
continuous ovation.
AT an early hour yesterday the
streets were filled and the citv was
eally decorated with flags, lanterns
ana New Year decorations. Renrpsen.
tatives of the emperor and en,nress
Prince Fushimi, Jr., elder statesmen
ministers, prominent Japanese and
thousands of school children. greeted
tne arrival of the naval heroes at tho
statlon. The presidents of both houses
VI the diet presented them with the
resolution OF commentator passed nv
tnelr respective branches of nar,1a.
ment. p'
The quiet, gray-bearded Admire,
Togo, IN a blue service uniform
seemed embarrassed at the noisy ova.
Cold XIII. Russian Troops.
81. petersburg. Jan. 1. - Inform..
.lon to officers of the general stat :.
10 the eject that the excessively n,,s
nights are working havoc with GU
. nuropatkin's forces. According to
.nis authority not fewer than 70n nan
nave died from exposure. -A
/ viii Retain Their POST.
washington. Jan. l. - It has been
decided by President Roosevelt Tat
ambassador Tower, 1t Berlir ga
Ambassador McCornnaal. .nu