New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-16
WITNESS Of WAR HOME
Commander Decker of the Ches-
ter Tells of Fighting He Saw.
ATROCITIES EXAGGERATED
Eight Hundred Arabs Shot Down,
but Not Till They Had Re
fused to Surrender.
lr. rnloprnnh TO Tho Tribune. :

fEy Telegraph TO Tho Trihun'.l
Boston. Dec. I5-Thc cabled reports OF
Italian atrocities in Tripoli were branded
as untrue b. Commander Benton G. Decker
OF the United states scout cruiser Chester,
which arrived at the Charlestown Navy
Yard to-day from the scene Of the HOSTILE
ties.
Eight hundred Arab fanatics were shot
down on tho beach at Tripoli by Italians
Commander Decker admitted. but this was
after the Arabs had descended in sense
less charge upon an Italian outpost ana
then, vh.u surrounded, refused 80 surren-
der
Tire ItalauH arc making steady progress
I'm Tripoii,' said Comma 1der Decker. This
was testified TO by United states Consul
Wood, who came aboard the Chester as she
lay anchored off Trpoll. The war. how
over, promises 10 be long drawn out. The
chief fear 10 thet a holy war will result
The dash that ended in the massacre on
tho beach was one Of the many senseless
and fanstical performances which have
been features Of the war he declared.
The Arabs 800 Of them-found a place
where the italian line was protected only
b. few guards and descended upon IT,
Nothing was 20 he gained by such
dash, but it was made, apparently. because
the enemy had been carried beyond all req
son by race and religious hatred. They
forced their way through 10 the beach.
where the Italians surrounded them. They
would not surrender and the inevitable &C.
cured
The Chester was ordered to Tripoli from
Malta as q result Of q report that the Ital-
IL. t.A 1919.
losses. a report which subsequently proved
untrue.
we found the Italian feet engaged in
bombarding the eastern forts when We
! reach Trlpoll." declared Commander
Decker, land the batteries were exchanging
shots at intervals The ships Of the Itai-
| ians which were engaged were Of about the
| type Of the Massachusetts, of our navy. The
better ships were held i'm reserve for other
more serious work.
Il got in within about two and half
miles Of the city and lost on time in getting
into communication with the American
Consul, whom I found sticking 10 his post
like a major general. lie is one Of the
finest men | have ever met. and was look
ing after the interests of the country I'm
told me that many Of the stories we heard
at Malta and Gibraltar were untrue and
that those which were true were greatly en-
aggerated in regard to italian atrocities on
the battlefield
Constantnople, Dec. l5.-Oficals Of the
Turkish War Office are circulating a COM
plant that the Italian troops in Tripoi
are using dumdum bullets In their opera
ticns These bullets are soft at the point
ard spread when they come IN contact
with any opposing substance, making Sc
we're wound.
Feeling IS still running high here against
the War Office officials and other ministers
accused OF being responsible for denudng
suppl es. Several bombs are reported 10
have been discovered at the Offices of the
Grand Vzier and of the Minister of War.
Rome, Dec. 1.-THE Italian government
has issued an official denial that its troops
in Tripoli arc using dumdum bullets. as
stated in Constantinople.
No military operations were reported to-
| dav. The Italian troops hold all the coun-
| try from Mazaresh, on the extreme west
I 10 Lake Melleha, on the east II is re-
| ported that the main body of the Turks
| has retired on Gharian. leaving small adj
yanced body at Azzia.
The Italian press is calling for the for
nation of a colonial army of fifty thou
| sand men.