The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-19
SMIRN0FF IS SHOT
RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICERS FIGHT A
DUEL.
f,enern1 Fcck Wounds the Man Who
Made Charges Against Him
Due 20 the Surrender OF
Port Arthur.


ST. Petersburg. March 1s.--Lieuten-
ant General smirnoff was probably ia
tally wounded in q duel fought here
this morning with General Fock.
The men met In the riding school OF
the Chester Guard Regiment and fought
with pistols, a distance OF twenty PAGES
separating them when the shots were
exchanged.
The duel was caused by the memo
randum written by General Smirnon
on the siege of Port Arthur In which
he questioned the courage Of General
Fock. The latter considered that his
honor and reputation were Involved and
challenged the author Of the memoran-
dun. k
The riding school was placed at the
disposal OF the contestants by the COM
mander of the regiment. and the duel
occurred with the full knowledge and
APPRECIATION of the military authori-
ties. 1t was Witnessed by several ON
GERS Of high rank and It IL even re-
ported that several women were pres
emit
shortly before 10 o'clock Generals
Fock and Smirnoff appeared at the rid
ing school without saluting they took
the places assigned by their seconds.
The distance between the two COM
batants was twenty PAGES and the duel
lists were instructed to open fre at the
word Of command and continue until
one or the other was killed. At Gen.
eral Fock's fourth shot General Smir-
non eroaned and sank forward. He
had been wounded in the abdomen
above the right hip. He was carried
In q litter to the military hospital.
where doctors this afternoon employed
Roentgen rays TO locate the bullet.
The word are" was given each time
by General Kireieff. the Russian au-
thority on duelling. At the second ex-
change General Fock's coat was perfer-
afed. At the third exchange General
Smirnoff accidentally fred prematureiy,
but General Fock magnanimously de-
cllned to shoot at defenseless oppo-
nent. and the fourth and final shots
were then exchanged.
The duel will be followed by another
between General Fock and General Cor
batoffsky. the commander of the west
ern front at Port Arthur. who was Sc
verely criticised by General Fock dur
ing the court martial proceedings Gem
erai Gorbatoffsky sent seconds some
time ago to General Fock, but he failed
10 secure permission TO fight duel.
Up to = late hour tonight no opera
ffon had been attempted on the wound
ed man. The doctors wish to make
further examinations with the Ront-
gen Rays before attempting to ex-
tract the bullet. They announced.
however. that there Is no reason for
alarm. The patient is cheerful
General sn1irnoff was acting COM
nandant of the Port Arthur fortress
during the siege and at the time OF It's
surrender to the Japanese.
After his return to Russia he pre-
pared q secret report of the defense
81 Port Arthur which was the basis of
the indictments on which Lieutenant
General Stoessel. Lieutenant General
Fock and Major General Reise were
tried for their lives before the Supreme
Court martial
General Stoessel was accused OF COW.
ardice and incapacity and General Fock.
according to the Indictment. displayed
thorough incapacity and want of judg-
ment.
The outcome Of the, trial was the
sentencing TO death OF General Stoessel
which finding was later commutea to
ten years imprisonment, while General
Fock was ordered TO be reprtmande1
for a disciplinary offense.
General SnIrnoR also was on trial
before the court martial. charged with
having failed to remove General Fooii
from his command although he sus-
pected an agreement between Generals
Stoessel and Fock to surrender the
fortress. He was acquitted Of this
~har~A