Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-10
PORT ARTHUR HERO
FIGHTING FOR LIFE.
Court Martial of General stoes-
sci Begins, Before a Court :
That is Unfavorable
1T RESEMBLES SOCIAL AFFAIR
istoe.sel Conspicuous Among 200 of
ficers and Soldiers by Appearing in
Civilian Garb-Proudly Wears Badge
Of Order of st. George, Conferred by
Emperor.

st. Petersburg, Dec.- 10.-Before a
brilliant assemblage of his old COM
rades in arms. Lieutenant General
Stoessel was this morning placed on
trial to answer with his life and repu-
tation for the loss Of Port Arthur on
the lst Of January, 1905. In firm
tone and confident manner the gen
eral pleaded not guilty to the charge
of needlessly surrendering the fortress
and thereby humiliating the Russian
army.
The trial took place In the army and
navy club room and resembled more
social gathering of officers of high
rank than the scene Of court martial.
There were present 200 officers and
soldiers who had been at Port Arthur
and who today were clad in their full
dress uniforms, blazing with stars and
decorations.
Stoessel alone was in civilian attire.
This made him conspicuous. He wore
proudly around his neck the Gordon
of the Military Order of st. George,
which was conferred upon him by the
emperor during the siege, and on his
breast was pinned the cross Of George
III, awarded the general for conspic-
uous bravery in frontier fighting. The
other accused officers, Generals Frock,
Reise and Smirnoff, came to the court
clad in their uniforms. General Smir-
nofr, who is bitter enemy of Stoessel,
ostentatiously seated himself as far
away as possible from the central
figure Of the proceedings.
The court las convoked by Vice
Admiral Doubassoff. He declared it
to be the duty of the court to proceed
with the trial of the four officers
charged with the responsibility of sur
rendering the fortress on terms dis
honorable to the garrison and humili-
atting to the prestige of Russia. He
then called the roll Of 200 witnesses,
including General Kuropatkin and
Vice Admiral Wren. The entire after
noon was taken up with reading the
voIuminous and detailed Indictment.
The recital brought spirit of strife
and war into the court room. Men
who had defended the fortress against
the onslaught of the Japanese listened
today with rapt attention to the story
Of their work. From time to time,
when particular events were referred
to a nervous murmur ran thru the
hall. Many witnesses still suffer from
the effects Of the seige, and 1t was
clear they were controlling themselves
with difficulty.
Court Unfavorabe to Stoessel.
One or two incidents showed the
attitude of the court to be unfavorable
to Stoessel His personal request that
two additional witnesses be called in
was dismissed without ceremony. One
Of these witnesses, DR.. Rosanoff, was
chief of the Red Cross within the fort
ress. At the preliminary hearing he
testified that at the time of the sur
render Stoessel had at his disposal
only 5000 able bodied men to defend
hundreds of miles Of Notifications.
He also said that the bitter cold
winds prevailing at the time made it
difficult for the soldiers even to hold
IuGlT TIllcS III SAASAl AoANSs SSASA 81
Maiden, the other witness, excluded, is
the author Of disposition similar to
that Of Rozanoff, and the general COM
mander Of the firing line at Port Ar
thur.
From conversations with witnesses
Of all ranks it was clear the trial was
making most painful impression up
on them. They declared it to be an
insult to Stoessel and to his army.
The defenders of the fortress, they
said, were thus ungratefully rewarded
for having expended life and strength
in the soul racking defense. While the
witnesses are not partisians of Stoes
sci, they are plainly of the opinion that
the generals detractors and prosecu-
tors, who personally took no part in
the hardship endured by the defenders
of the beleagured port, are now seek
ing to rehabilitate the sins of war of
flee at the expense Of the Port Arthur
garrison. A prominent colonel said to
the Associated Press correspondent:
"If Stoessel is guilty, we all are
guilty"
The absence of ex-Viceroy Alexieff
from the trial is interpreted to mean
that the government is not willing to
enhance the magnitude of proceedings.
Alexieff escaped going on the witness
stand with difficulty.