The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-11
For Surrender
OF Port Arthur
LIEUT.. GEN. sToEssEL ON TRIAL
FOR HIS LIFE-rWo OTHER
GENERALS IN 1T.

sehhht beHelal otoessel DeRan IN tnls
city, yesterday. There have been pro
tracted delays In taking the testimon,
OF the Witnesses In the Fer East, bu
now all this material is in order ant
the proceedings will go ahead rapid
~. General StoesseI IS accused Of hay
lug surrendered the fortress at Port
Arth before he had exhausted al
the resources Of defense. The punish
ment 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. Gen
eral Fock and General ReIss are co
defendants with him. The first is &C
cnsed OF having conspired the surren
der OF the fortress. and the second with
having executed the order Of surren
der General Smirnoff. General Stoes
sells most bitter enemy. is to be tried
on minor count.
The court Will be composed Of nine
generals under the presidency of Vice
Admiral Doubassoff. It will. include
Generals Kuropatkin, Bilderling, My
loft and others. General Gursky will
be judge advocate. General Stoesse
will be defended by Deputy Syrtlanon
and Colonel vellanlinoff.
The Indictment.
The basis OF the Indictment Is prac
tically identical with that set forth
in the secret report Of the defense o.
Port Arthur made by General Smlrnod
but counsel for the defense nave an
nounced their intention OF broadening
the scope of the inquiry to bring ii
the conduct OF the ministry of war
both prior to and during the war witt
Japan.
The trial Is exciting the INST In.
tense interest in army circles. Eve
ticket to the little auditorium in the
Army and Navy Club. where the hear
ing will be held, has been taken by
army officers Of high rank. 1t is 9
curious coincidence that this room In
the club was the scene some months
ago OF the acceptance by the Minister
Of War Of the sword Of honor purchas
ed by public subscription in France
for presentation to General Stoessel
In recognition OF his heroic defense OF
Port Arthur. After the accusations
brought against General Stoessel the
contemplated inscription was changed
and the sword was presented instead
to the Russian army.
The trial will last a fortnight. Ma
1or Tsunova, OF the japanese army
who was General Nogi's chief of stafl
during the war. as well as several
newspaper correspondents, have been
summoned MS witnesses, but their at
tendance Is uncertain.
Stoessel's Condition.
General Stoessel Is In n pitiable state
OF excitement over the final hearing
of his case and the doctors are appre
hensive OF the effect upon the veteran
officer. who has suffered two paralytie
strokes since the fall OF the fortress
The general said to-day that he was
glad that the trial, after It's many de
lays, was at last coming to a close
He expects to be fully rehabilitated.
The indictments against Generals
Stoessel, Reiss, Fock and Smirnoff
are full Of sidelIghts on the final stag
es Of the siege OF the fortress and on
the confusion which existed In the
direction Of the defense, owing to the
ambiguous position of General Stoes
sci, instructing him to hand over the
command OF the fortress to General
Smirnoff and reioin the Manchurlan
army. General Stoessel did not follow
these instructions. On the contrary
he remained at Port Arthur and AFRO
gated to himself the supreme authori
ty. General Smirnoff found his hands
completely tied. His suggestions were
ignored. his orders countermanded and
his subordinates received direct or
ders from General Stoessel without
any reference to himself.
Much of the evidence at the prelim
mary inquiry turned on the allegations
against General Stoessel Of military In.
capacity. lack Of foresight in regard
to the collection Of food supplies and
failure to make the best use OF his
troops by providing them with ade
quate rations. At q military council
held on December I the food condl
tion was thoroughly canvassed, and
the first idea OF surrender was formu
lated in General stoessel's name BY
General Relss, chief OF staR. Thi.
proposal was rejected by the council
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