Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-03
STREETS FILLED
WITH WOUNDED
OFFICER SAYS FORTRESS FELL
OF EXHAUSTION
Naval Commander From Port Arthur
Arrives at chefoo and Tells a
story Of Awful Suffering
of Garrison
By Associated Press.

AsSoCldteu
CHEFoO, Jan. 2.-Besides the tor
pedo boat destroyers skory, Stratni,
Ylastni and Serdity, which reached here
Yesterday from Port Arthur, two other
destroyers, the Smelly and Boiki. ac-
companied by transport, left Port
Arthur last night carrying 800 wounded
soldiers.
The departure of these warships was
determined upon at the council OF war
which decided to negotiate for the sur
render of the fortress. Admiral Wren
asked General Stoessels permission tJ
save the ships and this was readily
granted.
The ships crept out between and IL
o'clock at night without encountering
any Japanese warships.
The officers of the destroyers have
decided to disarm them and the quar-
tet of war vessels were lashed to-
gether. In the absence of Chinese
warship the commissioner of customs
took charge of them.
The taotai has ordered the crews
of the destroyers, including a number
OF invalid soldiers on board, to go to
the Chinese fort, where quarters for
them are available. Tonight customs
officials are guarding the destroyers
ard are not permitting foreigners to
&c on board them.
Approve Sherman's Definition
The Russian officers have only
single word for what the fortress has
heen nthe past Ave days, during which
the japanese have bombarded and as
saulted ceaselessly night and day.
They use that word not profanely
but convincingly, declaring that the
horrors they have witnessed are pc
yond description. They say that there
has not been a single spot in the town
safe from the shrapnel fire.
Many of the hospitals were hit and
the wounded refused to remain in
them. Some of the wounded lay in the
cold streets OH heaps of debris, while
others staggered back to the front,
hurling stones and defying the Jap
anese until taken prisoners or until
deaSh came mercifully to them.
General Stoessel had boasted that he
would fght to the last, but Captain
Kartow said that his plight last night
looked like "the last"
Fortress Falls of Exhaustion
Captain Kartzow said:
There was no stopping these Japa-
nese, who died in droves fighting with
the last instructive twitch of their
nerves and with their eyes fixed on
Liaoti mountain. Stoessel had killed
a Japanese army, exhausting his am
munition. so up went the white flag.
Port Arthur falls of exhaustion-ex-
haustion not only of ammunition but
of men.
The remnant of the garrison left has
been doing the work of heroes for five
days and five nights, but yesterday
they reached the limit of human en-
durance
I'm the casemates of the forts one
saw everywhere faces black with starv-
alton, exhaustion and nerve strain.
One spoke to them, but they did not
give answer, only staring durnbly.
1.-The lack of ammunition alone would
terms. Scant ammunition had long
been common in the fortress and dur
ing the past month many of the forts
had nothing with which to return the
fire of the enemy.
Ammunition at Lowest Point
The Russians sat in the casemates
firing not more than once to the 200
shots sent by the Japanese. Then when
the assault came they repused the en-
emy with bayonets. But the men them
selves. having existed for three months
on reduced rations, were so worn that
it is marvellous they stood the final
strain so long.
Yesterday General Stoessel would
still fight His wound, which was re-
ceived early in the siege. had been
bothering him. but his determination
to fight while one man stood had not
been diminished.
but we cannot fight said his
generals. Our men cannot move. They
sleep standing. They cannot see the
bayonets at their breasts. We can
order but they cannot obey.
Then you generals fight said
Stoessei. clinching his fists.
HE seemed fanatical on the subject,
but finally he was brought to see rea-
son by the insistence of his subordi-
mates. Admirals Lochinsky and Wi
rens. General Smyrnoff and Fock and
many others, sometimes with broken
voices, urged the step which all had
dreaded so long.
StoesseI Alone contended
II am sure Port Arthur would have
sought terms a month ago had 1t not
been for General Stoessel, who with
bulldog tenacity repeatedly refused to
permit such actiion to be taken. He
had told his emperor that he would
never surrender and he meant to keep
his word.