The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-27
POISONED FOOD (
FOR THE RUSSIANS
As Germans Retreat, They
Leave Supplies Behind
Which Bring
Death.
TAKEN BY SURPRISE
Gar Was Not Expected to Get Into
Action So Soon or to
Show So Much
Strength.
TAKEN BY SURPRISE

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. 27.-That
the German defense Of Its territory
does not contemplate a pitched battle
except on ground selected by the Ger
man staff itself, 10 now considered
certain. Reports from the front In.
dIcate the Germans arc making no
definite stand. They are slowly re-
treating before the Russian advance
inflicting all Of the damage possible
az they move back on their main limo
Of Notifications.
Tho Russian left and centre armies,
operating In force and along lines
previously laid down, have bottled up
the German earrisons Of the eastern
Prusisan forts and their reduction 10
assured whenever the general star or
ders It. The objective Of the centre
army is believed to be Posen, although
no confirmation regarding plans 10
obtalnabls here. Stories Of supplies
bsinp poisSted BY che Germans ana
left behind to be eaton by the Rus
sian troops are current here. Many
Russians are reported to have died as
the result Of eating the eomlssary sup
plies taken at Gumbinine, Insterburg
and Finkuhenen and orders have been
issued that hereafter all such supplies
taken shall Immediately be burned.
GERMANS SURPRISED.
That the Germans will make a def
mite stand long before the defenses Of
Odor Is reached Is believed certain
here. The general staff has reports Of
heavy Austrian reinforeements being
detached from the servian border and
hurried north into PrussIan territory.
It Is believed also that the Germans
have been strongly reinforced by the
reserve army just mobIIized.
Discussing the Russians' movements
to date, high officials say the Germans
were completely surprised. They had
refused to believe that the Russian
mobilization plans had been perfected
or that the army staff had learned any
thing by the reverses in ManchurIa.
The Russians took advantage Of this
fact. The cavalry and mounted In
fantry were utilized In tho Initial
movements which were executed 50
expeditiousIy that the Germans were
unable to concentrate and their forces,
scattered over wide stretches Of ter.
ritory wore overwhelmed.
EIGHT MILLION RUSSIANS.
ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. 27. (via
Rome)-That the plans Of the Russian
army contempIates an attack on Berlin
within three weeks was officially ad
mitted today. At the same time II
was stated that not only has the Rus
sian mobilization been completed but
there are now 100000 under arms
Troops have been divided into four
armies Of 100000 men each. These
armies are being placed In field from
inland mobilization centres to operate
one behind the other, the forward one
filling the gaps In the ranks OF the
one in front after each general en-
gasement.
The war office also declares It's com
men. for feeding the army are SO com
piete, 1t Is stated, that there will be
no necessity Of "Iivlns of the coun
try"
Because Of the enormous armie.
that will be in the field, It Is reported
to be the general plan Of the Russian
offensive not to try to take the Ger
man chain Of main forts by storm
Instead they will attempt to IsoIate
each Of them, leaving large enough
force at every point to keep the gar
risons bottled up and also to preven,
any attacks on their lines Of com
munieations. The main, Russian ad
vance, II is expected, will approach
Posen from the south, crossing the
south bend Of the Warta river some
miles from the Russian frontier ane
then move against Posen northwest
between the Oder and Warta river.