Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-10

ST petersburg. Dec. J.-1ne ma
stage of the court martial of Lieut.
General Mikhailovitch StoeSSel will be.
gin in this city tomorrow. There have
been prOtracted delays i'll taking tn.
testimony Of the witnesses in The Fan
East, but now all this material is il
order and the proceedings will go OF
rapidly.
Gen. StOeSScl is accused of having
surrendered the fortress at Port Ar
thur before he had exhausted all the
resources of defence. The punishment
for this, under the Russian code, is
death. He is to be tried also on the
charge of lacking initiative and with
having exceeded his powers. Generals
Fock and ReiSS are co-defendantS with
him. The first is accused of having con-
spired for the surrender of the fortress
and the second with having executed
the order of surrender. General Smir-
noff, General Stoessers most bitter en-
envy. is to be tried on minor count.
The court will be composed of nine
generals under the presidency of Vice
Admiral DoubaSSoff.
The basis of the Indictment is prac-
ticaliy identical with that set forth i'll
the secret report Of the defence Of Port
Arthur made by Gen. Smirnoff, but
counsel for the defence have announced
their intention of broadening the scope
of the inquiry to bring in the conduct
Of the ministry of war, both prior tC
and during the war with Japan.
The trial is exciting intense interest
in army circles.
General Stoessel is today in a pitable
ing of his case. The doctors are appre-
henSiVe of the effect of the trial upon
the veteran officer, who has suffered
two paraiytic strokes since the fall OF
the fortress. The general told the rep
rosentative of The Associated Press to-
day that he was very glad indeed thai
the trial, after its endless delays, wa>
finally coming to a close. He expects
to be fully rehablitated.
The indictments against General!
StoeSSel, RCisS, Fock and Snirnoff ar
full of side lights on the final stage!
of the siege of the fortress and OH tn
confusion which existed in the direction
of the defence owing to the ambiguous
al held tho chief command Of the fort
ress but actually he was SupplantGt
by Gen. StoeSSel. who was little NOR;
than the mouthpiece of Gen. Tock.
BEFORE communication with Port Ar
thur was finally cut off. General kuro
patkin both telegraphed and wrote (
Gen. Stoessel instructing him to hant
over the command of the fortress t.
Gen. SmlrnOf and rejoin the Manchur
ian army. General Stocssel did not lol
low these instructions. On the con
trary he remained at Port Arthur ant
arrogated to himself the supreme au
thority. General Smirnoff found HI:
hands completely tied. His suggestions
were ignored. his orders countermand
ed and his sulbordinates received direc
orders from Gen. StoeSscl. without any
reference to himself.
Much Of the evidence at the prelimi
nary inquiry turned on the allegation:
against Gen. StOeSScl of military IN
capacity, lack of foresight in reSarC
to the collection of food supplies. ant
failure 10 make the best use of hi:
troops by providing them with adequate
rations. At military council. held OF
Dec. !, the food condition was formulat
ed in General StoeSSelS name by Gen
eral EeiSS, chief Of staff. This propose
WAS rejected by the council.
y week later Gen. Fock was conSld
cred to be responsible for the eVacua
ton OF vitality important forts between
Dec Is and Jan. 1. and the evidenc,
or this point is incontrovertiblt. Tie
indictments give a terribly graphic de
Scription of the straits to which tn
defending forces were reduced by shell
and rifle fire, mines and hand grCnadcS
The losses were enormous; on one posi-
ton alone the casualties exceeding AN
in a single DAY and ut another po;n
there were but 80 survivors from de
taChment of over 800 men. Neverthe
less, neither Gen. Gorba towsky nor Gen
Smirnoff admitted the possibility o
voluntarily evacuating the defences ant
they both bitterly upbraided Gen. Foci
when they heard of his order TO do 50
The last military council before TIN
capitulation was held at Port Arthu
on the evening of Dec. %. Genera
Stoessel presided. General Stoesse
asked the opinion Of the council re
garding the possibility of continuing
the defence. The officers present wer
practically unanimous, 10 votes to 3, il
favor Of holding out to the last eX
tremity. General Stoessel took no &C