The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-11
Nearly Ends the Turkish Power
of Resistance.
BATTLE FAR INTO THE NIGHT
SearchIights and AerOpIanes
Play Parts in the Fight.
BuIgars Make Fierce BayOnet
Charge in the Dark.

Paris, Nov. ia graphic descrip-
ton of the storming by the Bulgarians
of the two Turkish forts at Kartaltepe
and Papaztepe, in the outer line of
Notifications around Adrianople. is
forwarded by a correspondent of the
Matin. He declares that their cap
! ture seals the doom of the Turkish
stronghold.
The operations began at daybreak.
Following their usual brilliant success
full tactics the Bulgarian infantry ad-
vanced in the direction of the forts
under cover of murderous fire or
shrapnel. The Turkish troops sailed
out from the forts to deliver counter
attack.
1t was then the turn of the Bull
garian siege artillery which from ev-
cry point on the surrounding hills
rained terrific hail of protectileS on
the lines of the Turkish troops. Ev-
cry moment saw fresh companies OF
Turks marching out from the city ana
tne forts toward the Bulgarians who
continued imperturbably to draw
their lines closer around the forts
The accurate fire of the Bulgarians
big guns began to tell at 10 O'CLOCK IN
the morning when the guns in the fort
on Mont KareI began to slacken In
their reply. The fort had been swept
by a heavy storm of shells for several
hours, the great pro1ectlles pursuing
right over the works.
The silent Turkish infantry had
meanwhile resisted stubbornly the
Bulgarian advance, but their lines
gradually began to waver.
Bayonet Charge.
Suddenly the command "fix bayo-
nets rang out from the Bulgarian OF
ficers and then, cheering wildly, the
Bulgarian infantry dashed forWard ana
the Turks broke and ran toward lne
city.
At about noon the Bulgarians colors
fluttered up over the forts of Kartal-
tepe; but Papaztepe still held out
The Bulgarian troops were dlVloeo
into three columns, which made very
slow progress and for a long time the
fortunes of the day seemed uncertain.
NightfaH found the Turks and BuI-
garians still fighting. suddenly IN tns
dense darkness a long dazzling ray OF
light shot across the sky from one
of the crests held by the Bulgar1ans
bringing the fort on Papaztepe clearly
into view. Then from the Iort luseA
another brilliant ray shot out.
The cannon and rifle fire which had
been slackening at once became more
brisk, while above the com oatants tne
searchIights flashed and Whlrleo then
immense rays around In Wh1cn little
balls of white smoke caused by the
bursting of shrapnel floated like flies
in a sunbeam, making even deeper
the surrounding blackness' Wnlcn as Wa
punctuated here and there by 1lashes
from the muZzles of cannon.
The roar of the siege and field guns
dominated the rafting of the rifle vol
Ieys and the screeching or shells as
they hurtled through the AR.
AS has occurred at Kartaltepe ear
1ieT in the day the fire from the Papaz-
tene fort began gradually to slacken.
There also the bulgarian siege guns
had caused enormous ravages'
second Fort Taken.
Abruptlv the search lights were extin-
q1lisbed at about IL o'clock at night
and the Bulgarian infantry began TO
storm the fort at the point OF tne pay
onet. Shortly before midnight tney
had become masters OF the posluoh
and the Turkish army was in flight
Thev left their dead and dying Dy nun
dreds on the field.
The fort on Papaztepe Is one OF the
most important features of the de-
feDses of Adrianople.e 1t commands
not only the city itself but all the 9TH
er works. -, ,,,zt
aeropIanes flew back and forth over
tbe Turkish forts, bringing valuable
Information to the Bulgarian generals
in command
some interesting sidelights on the
war are telegraphed by a correspondent
of the Matin who had opportunities OF
talking with some of the Turkish pris-
oners in the hands of the BulgarianS.
MANY of them had come from Asia
and he'd never before heard OF Bull
Raria When the cause OF the war was
explained to them, one of them said:
I'VE knew nothing of that. At Prusa
lin Asia Minor) where we were re-
cr11ited we were told that according
TO the law of the Prophet we must
go to fight the infidels and that the
Hour to exterminate them had arrived.
We were also told that Allah had
promised us victory and the Turkish
governors declared we should divide
among us the riches of the enemies OF
Allah We have therefore been de
ceived.
The situation in Constant1nople.
The situation at ConstantiHople L.
described by the correspondent of the
Matin there. He says the British
cruiser Waymouth is in direct wire
less communication with the station a
Poldhu. Wales, and receives daily the
latest political, financial and sporting
news.
The crews of the foreign warshl2s
are now allowed ashore and stroll
along the streets without exciting much
attention from the natives.
The presence of the foreign Warships
in the DardaneIles provokes various
amusing comments from the Turks.
Thus. one patriot called on the French
ambassador to thank him for the fact
that the French government had sent
the Leon Gambetta instead Of an
other vessel
I'VE understand" he said, "the deli
cate attention this implies and the
encoura cement you meant to give us
for Gambetta stands as the type of
statesmen of national defense"