Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-19
GENERALS IN
DUEL, ONE IS
FATAL YHURT
RUSSIAN OFFICER IS WOUNDED
ON FIELD OF HONOR
General Smirnoff Called Out and Shot
by Fock as Result of Criti-
cism of Port Arthur
Defense
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, March 49,
Lieut.. Gen. Smirnoff was probably
fatally wounded in duel today WITH
Lieut.. Gen. Fock. The men fought with
pistols at twenty PAGES.
The duel was caused by the memoran-
DUN written by Gen. Smirnoff on the
seige of Port Arthur in which he ques-
toned the courage of Gen. Fock. The
latter considered that his honor and
reputation We're involved and chal-
lenged the author of the memorandum.
The riding school where the duel was
fought was placed at the disposal of the
combatants by the commander of the
regiment, and the duel occurred with
the full knowledge and appreciation of
the military authorities. 1t was wit
messed by several officers of high rank,
and 1t is even reportet. that several
women were present.
Shortly before 10 o'clock Gems. Fock
and Smirnoff appeared at the scene.
Without salutin,. they took the places
assigned by their seconds.
For Gen. Smirnoff the seconds were
his brother-in-law, Vladimir M. Pu-
rishkevich, a member of the duma, and
Capt. Schultze of the navy, while for
Gen. Fock Capt. Sido adjutant to Gen.
Stoessel, and Lieut.. Podgursky, one of
the Port Arthur heroes, officiated.
The distance between the two comba-
tants was twenty PAGES. and the duel
ers were instructed to open fire at the
word of command and continue until
one or the other was killed.
Smirnoff Hit
At Gen. Fock's fourth shot Gen.
Smirnoff groaned and sank forward.
He had been wounded in the abdomen
above the right hip. He was carried
in a litter TO the military hospital,
where doctors this afternoon employed
Roentgen rays to locate the bullet.
The word fire" was given each time
by Gen. Kireieff, the Russian authority
on dueling. At the second exchange
Gen. Fock's coat was perforated. At
the third exchange Gen. Smirnoff acci-
dentally fired prematurely, but Gen.
Foclk declined to shoot at a defense
less opponent. and the fourth and final
shots were then exchanged.
This duel will be followed by another
between Gen. Fock and Gen. Gorbatoff-
sky, the commander of the western
front at Port Arthur, who was severely
criticised by Gen. Fock during the
court-martial proceedings.
Gen. Gorbatoffsky sent seconds some
time ago to Gen. Fock, but he failed to
secure permission to fight duel.
Ger. Smirnoff was acting comman-
dant of the Port Arthur fortress during
the siege and at the time of its sur
render to the Japanese. After his re-
turn to Russia he prepared secret
report of the defense of Port Arthur,
which was the basis of the indictment
on which Gen. Stoessell, Gen. Fock and
Mai. Gen. ReisS were tried for their
lives before the supreme court martial.
Gen. Stoessel was accused of cowardice
anI incapacity. and Gen. Fock, accord
ing to the indictment, displayed thor
ough incapacity and want of judgment.
The outcome of the trial was the sem
fencing of death of Gen. Stoessel, which
finding was later commuted to ten
years imprisonment, while Gen. Fock
was ordered to be reprimanded for dis
ciplinary offenses.
Gen. Smirnoff was also on trial before
The court-martial charged with having
failed to remove Gen. F'ock from his
command. although he succeeded in
reaching an agreement between Gems
Stoessel and Fock to surrender the
fortress. He was acquitted of this
charge.