New-York tribune., 1907-12-10
GEN. STOESSEL'S TRIAL.
Court Martial of Port arthur Com
mdndcr an st. Petersburg

ST. Petersburg, Dec. 9.--The final stage OF the
court martial of Lieutenant General Stoessel. who
IS accused Of having surrendered the fortress at
Port Arthur before he had exhausted all the
sources Of defence. will begin in this city to-mor-
The punishment for this. under the Russian
code. is death He Is to be tried also the charge
of lacking initiative and with having exceeded his
powers. General Fock and General Reiss are CO.
defendants The first is accused of having
spired the surrender of the fortress and the
second with having executed the order OF
render. General Smirnof. General Stoessels most
bitter enemy. is to be tried minor count
The court will be composed of nine generals
der the presidency of vice-Admiral Douhassor. It
will include among others General kuropatkin's
corps commanders General Bderlins and Gen
era Myloff. General Gursky will be Judge advo-
cate General Stoessel will be defended by Deputy
Syrtlanof and Colonel veIianinoff.
The basis of the indictment is practically denti-
cal with that forth In the report of the
defence of Port Arthur made by General Smirnoff.
but the counsel for the defence have ANNOUNCED
their intention of broadening the scope of the in
auiry 10 bring in the conduct of the Ministry of
War both prior to and during the war with Japan.
General Stoessel Is in ptiable state of excite
ment over the final hearing of his case. The doc
tors appreheusive of the effect Of the trial
upon the veteran officer who has suffered two
paraytc strokes the fall of the fortress,
He expects be exonerated
Before communication with Port Arthur was
finally cut off General Kuropatkn sent telegraph
message and wrote to General Stcesse instruct
ing him to hand over the command to General
Surnon and rejon the Manchurisn army Cen
eral Stoessel. however. remained at Port Arthur
and arrogated to himself the supreme authority
General Smirnof's suggestions were ignored. his
orders countermanded. and his sunordinates re-
ceived direct orders from General Stoessel.
Much of the evidence at the preliminary inquiry
turned the allegations against General Stoessei
of military incapacity. lack of foresight In regard
to the collection of food supplies and failure to
Ike he hes q
with adequate rations. At military council held
on December the food condition was thoroughly
canvassed. and the first idea Of surrender was
formulated in General stoessel's name by Gen
eral Reiss chief of staff. This proposal was re-
jected by the council.
A week later General Fock was appointed cnlef
of the defences in succession to General kon-
dratenko who killed. General Fock Is con-
sidered O be responsible for the evacuation OF
vitality important forts between the dates OF De-
cember Is and January and the evidence on this
point is incontrovertible
The last military council before the capItulation
held at Port Arthur on the evening OF Dc
cernber % General Stoessel. who PRESIDED asked
the opinion of the councnl regarding the posi-
bity of continuing the defence. The officers pres
practically unanimous, l3 votes 10 D. IN
favor of holding to the last extremity. Gen
eraI stoesseI took active part in the discussion
but General Ress who rected a number OF rea-
sons for surrender. undoubtedly spoke on his be-
half
The most sensational part of the indictments re-
late to the immediate circumstances OF the cap'u-
iatlon. On January 1, the day after the eVacua-
ton of the "Eaglets Nest and other points Gen.
eraI Stoessel sent Lieutenant Malchenko with a
letter TO General Nogi, proposing negotiations TOT
the surrender of the fortress. Generals Heiss ana
Focl appear TO have been the only superior OFF,
GERS cocnizant Of General Stoessers intention to
captuIate The same day General Stoessel sent
his much commented telegram to the Emperor De
ginning with the words: Great Sovereign! Forgive
us! We have done everything within human limits!
Judge us, bat judge mercifuiiyT
II will be the duty of the court martial to deter
mine whether the capitulation OF Port Arthur on
January was justified according TO Russian mill
seventeen thousand fighting men left at the time
The sick and wounded numbered about hiteeh
Thousand. There is evidence to prove that in the
o,..r a, nrovtsIons Port Arthur could easily have
held out over another month and the reserves OF
ammunition. both artillery and rife would nave
suf1ced for even longer. The garrison had three
hundred effective guns when the fortress was sur
rendered.
The stand taken by Generals Stoessei, lteiss ana
Fool, is that the fate of Port Arthur was seaieo
with the capture of the ''Eaglet's Nest and Two
other positions Every point remaining In the
hands Of the Russians was exposed to the jap
anese fire and the so-called second and third lines
of defence were absolutely valueless-
General Stoessel born in is48 and entered
,ba army In 1854 He served with the bulgarian
-o;,,,ia during the Russo Turkish War OF lS7l-B
ord ,articipa.ed in tho Chinese expedition OF
19Oo-'01.