Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-24
Despite Ultimatum of Pow
ers, Soldiers Of King
Nicholas Continue Ef-
forts Until Successful.
ASSAULT LASTED FOR
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS
Aided by Guns Of Servia In
trepid Fighters Succeed
in Effecting Entrance
Outcome in Question.

After final desperate attack lasting
twenty-four hours the Montenegrin
troops forced their way into Scutari.
The fortress for six months, since the
middle of October, 1912 had offered
a stubborn and heroic defense.
The assault which gave the Monte.
negrins possession Of the city which
has been the sole object OF their war
against Turkey, began on Monday
night. The Montenegrin army took the
the offensive along the entire front.
They completely surprised the Otto
man defenders by pushing right up to
the Turkish positions, where they an.
gagged in close bayonet fighting. The
Ottoman soldiers made a number OF
counter attacks and tried with. their
utmost energy to drive the attacking
force out Of their works, but they were
finally compelled to fall back and
leave their positions In the hands Of
the besiegers, who received constant
reinforcements.
succseded at Midnight.
1t was midnight last night when
the Montenegrins obtained their foot.
| Of the besieEers entered the city ~ q
O'clock thfs morning. I q ~ s,g
According Is oi{s report Essad
Pasha, the Turkish ommanders In
chief, recognized the iselessness OF
key position of Tarakosch had fallen.
He is said then to have ordered his
troops to cease their defense Of the
fortress.
Another report says that the Monte
a. to - H1xSnxA~
negotiating since Monday with Essad
Pasha for the surrender Of the place.
Still another account says that the
Turks defended the city until the last.
Although the Servian troops did not
participate In the final attack. th0fr
artillery was used by the Montenegrin
gunners, and It is said that to this fact
their success was largely due. III
The act OF capitulation was signed
by the Turkish commander shortly
after the Montenegrin troops had
reached the center Of the city.
Opinions Differ on Outcome.
London, April 23.--While tho cap
ture of Scutari by the Montenegrin
troops Is believed in European capitals
to have complicated the situation
created by the decision of the great
powers to include Scutari In the
future state OF Albania, the opposite
view is held in Balkan circles.
There the opinion prevails that the
Montenegrins, having accomplished &
the object they have aimed at since
the beginning OF the war, will find II
more easy to accept the decision Of
the great powers and that the latter.
on the other hand, will be more ready
to grant her rectification OF her
frontier which will satisfy her.
Aided BY servIan Guns.
The long defense of ,Scutari under
Essad Pasha was made by an army
estimated at about 10000 men, who
also had to guard the outlying strong.
hold Of Tarakosch and other connect
ing works surrounding the city. This
they did SO well that the Monte
negrins could not make any impress
sion until few weeks ago, when their
Servian allies brought up q large num-
Der of heavy siege guns. which soon
reduced the fire OF the Turkish artil-
lery. NJ.
The Montenegrins are said to have 4
lost 5000 killed and the Turks 5000
killed during the siege.
Uitimatum Was Unheeded.
Nothing has yet been decided as to
the continuance OF the blockade OF tho
Montenegrin coast which was insti-
tuted on account of the refusal OF the
Montenegrins to abandon the siege Of
Scutari at the order of the powers.
Only few days ago an ultimatum
was sent to King Nicholas Of Monte
negro by the commander of the block
aiding fleet informing him that landing
parties would be sent ashore unless
the wishes Of the powers we're car
ried out. In the meantime the Monte
negrin army was continuing its opera /
tions. e
Most Of the civilian population re-
NAMED in Scutari throughout the
siege. The inhabitants included about
$1,000 Mohammedans and 5000
Christians. It was said at various
times that the people of Scutari were
In condition of semi-starvation but
It now appears that there we're consid-
cradle quantities of grain and other
stores within the city and that the peO-