Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-02-27
FOUND GUILTY.
Gen. StcesSeI Condemned to Die
For SIrrendering the
POST OF PORT ARTHUR

Court-Martial Which Has Been Trv.
ing him for Cowardice I'm surrep-
dcring Port Arthur Returns Yer
dict Sentencing Famous General
to Death, but Recommending Ten
years in Prison Instead.
Lieut-Ge. Stoessel was condemned
to death Thursday evening by
Military Court at s. re.ersDurg for
ehe surrender of Port Arthur to the
Japanese The Court recommends
ed that the death sentence upon Lieut.
Gen. Stoessel be committed to ten
years imprisonment in fortress anu
he be excluded from the service.
Gen. Frock. who commanded the
4th East Siberian division OF Port
Arthur, was ordered reprimanded for
a disciplinary offence, which was
not connected with the surrender
and Gen. Smirnoff, acting command
Reiss, chief OF staff to Gen. Stoesse,.
Reiss, chief of stan to Gen. Stoessen.
were acquitted of the charges against
them for lack OF proof
Gen. Vodar, president OF the Court.
read the sentences amid tense si-
lence. By "A great effort of self con-
troll Gen. Stoessel maintained rigid
soldierly-like impassivity. Gen Smir-
non also was seemingly unmoved.
but there were tears In the eyes OF
Gen. Reiss.
0F
| bounced upon Gen Stoessel. FOR sur
"endering the fortress before al the
means OF defence had been exhaust
ed, for failing to enforce his author
ity and for military misdemeanors."
Communication of the sentence was
asked on the ground that Port Ar
thur, beset by overwhelming forces,
defended itself under Gen. Stoossel's
leadership with unexampled stub
bornness and filed the world with as
tonishment at the heroic courage OF
its garrison; that several assaults
have been repulsed with tremendous
losses on the part of the enemy; that
Gen. Stoessel throughout the seige
had maintained the heroic courage
Of the defenders and finally that he
had taken energetic part in three
campaigns"
Before the sentence was read,
measures were taken to prevent n de-
monstration in favor OF Stoessel by
a number Of the younger officers,
md witnesses who were present.
These later sent dispatch to the
Empress saying that they would hum
bly, bear testimony that Gen. Stoes-
sci was the soul OF the defence
If Port Arthur; that he had always
encouraged and put heart in the gar
rison, and that in case of war they
would wish to serve again under
such hero. They asked the Empress
graciously to bespeak from the EN-
peror full pardon.
There was a dramatic moment af-
ter the reaCing of the sentence when
detachment OF soldiers filed into
the hall. The spectators, thinking
they were about TO seize Gen. Stoes-
sci, displayed great excitement, sew
eral women fainting. 1t developed,
however, that this was merely n
guard for the disposal OF the Court.
Gen. Stoessel, who was accompan-
led by his son, was the object Of
sympathetic demonstration, friends
kissing and shaking him by the hand
rs he left the Court leaning on his
sons shoulder.
The basis OF the Indictment upon
which Lieut.. Gen. Stoessel, Gen.
crock, who commanded the 4th East
Siberian division OF Port Arthur,
and Major Gen. Reiss. chief OF staff
10 Gen. Stoessel. were tried for their
lives, was secret report made by
Lieut.. Gen. Smirnoff, on the defence
OF Port Arthur.
Smirnoff was acting command
ant OF the fortress, Stoessel being
commander OF the KwangTung Pen
insula. Smirnof categorically ac-
cused Stoessel OF cowardice and IN
capacity. and finally OF the deliberate
and reasonable Fastening of the sur
render to save his own life and de-
fance OF the decisions OF two sue
cessve councils of war
Gen. Smirnoff declared that the
fortress, which was surrendered to
the Japanese, January l, 1908, could
have held out for six months longer.
The stands taken by Gems. Stoes-
sci, Reiss and Frock were that the
fate OF Port Arthur was sealed with
the capture of the Eagles Nest,
and two other positions.
The Indictment against Gen. Smi:-
non charged him with having tailei
to remove Gen. Frock from his COM
mand, although he suspected the
agreement between Gems. Stoessel
and Frock to surrender the fort
ress.