Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-09-13
PLOW DEAD ASIDE
TO LET LYING BY
German Correspondent Tells Thrill
ing Story Of Storming Of
Grodno
FIRE DESCRIBED AS TERRIFIC

BEhLANt sept. IL ANlh Lohueh'' !
The Iaconic announcement by the /
German general staff. in a bulletin |
issued September 3, that Grodno had |
been captured after house-to-house
fighting left the public without de-
tails Of the capture of the fortress
up to the present time. The Lokal
Anzeiger now prints a delayed report
by one of its correspondents. DR..
stephan Steiner. who entered the city
with the Germans and saw much Of
the fighting at close range.
The correspondent approached the
city from the southwest on the even
ing of September 2. He entered the
section OF the city south OF the Me
men river, but was unable to cross as
pontoons had not yet been built there
and the Russians had destroyed the
high iron bridges. The air was thick
with humming bullets and the explo-
sion of shrapnel shells, the metal
rafting sharply on the walls Of the
houses.
The night scene at the waters edge was
one OF unparalleled grandeur. says DR..
Steiner. THE river. skirted by rows OF
houses on bluffs 100 feet high. was illu-
minated by exploding shells. the broad
stream sending up everywhere Jets OF
water from the shell fragments. Numer-
ous church towers across the river. with
their gilt crosses encircled by clouds Of
smoke from the shrapnel appeared on the
lighted horizon
Flame Pillar shoots I'D.
suddenly a mighty pillar of flame
shot up on the other shore, producing a
gigantic rain OF sparks and burning
fragments. The terrific defamation
drowned the roar OF the cannon. IL was
the explosion OF some Russian ordnance
depot. II caused numerous conflagra-
tions In It's vicinity which illuminated
brightly the ruins OF the gigantic Niemen
bridges. lying half in the water"
The correspondent left the river and
spent the rest of the night In a shed In
suburb, but sleep was impossible
the bombardment CONTINUED throughout
the night, growing unusually intense
about o'clock in the morning. when
the Russians on the north side OF the
river attempted counter attack which
after several hours duration. was re-
pulsed with sqnguinary losses TO the at
lacking forces He returned to the city
before dawn and found heavy German
guns. brought into position during the
night. Smelling the Russian forts, six
or seven of which still were defending
themselves vigorously.
Leadcn Rain Incessant.
The Russian artiliery stationed at bar.
racks on the northern heights also kept
the southern suburbs under heavy fire
and the rain OF sitls bullets still was IN
eossant. Neyerthels3s GAeman pioneers
succeeded under cove Of darkness In
putting a pontocn aeross the river Sew
ga. German battali9ns aud batteries of
artillery gained ths northern shores Ga
support the other troops. winch had
crossed further down the stream.
As the corrcspoaf apl.r"ac he'd tho
bridge he found the bodies OF fallen sol.
ei.srs everywhere aisng the street,. rhosc
and the dead horses were pushed aside
TO make room for the advance OF the
troops. Thirty yards away a shrapne
shell exploded. killing soldier and q
horse. The air was still humming with
bullets and shells were exploding over
head. Forts Nos. and continued
belchlng sheets OF flame
Meanwhile the writer reached the ION
toon bridge. where l)ng columns Of
troops were crossing fwiftiv. mau &C
casionaly dropped from the ranks. br
his body was push ID aside and the col
umn moved on without breaking IN,
pcce. The river on both sides Of a.,
bridge was spoutinE flame from fallln;
projeetiles Under these eircumstan, e.
the correspondent succeeded In reachlr,
the northern shore.
soldiers Everywhere.
The streets and s1unrns everywhsr
were full of soldiers. The inembefs c
tho landwehr were searcny houses an
bringing out Russians, arrlyed IN I'll
most motley OF unit, ms. who had con
eealed themselves IN buildings. A bl
Russian church ign,sed by RUSSIA
Shrapnell she'll burned rapidly A mum
ton column passing this church, wa
struck In its midst by n Russian shrap
nell shell which killed three men an
four horses.
Civilians nowhere appeared on N
streets. but peeped with blanched face
from cellar lookouts OF withdrew wit
terror FROM the scenes outside. Man
people filled the cathedral. occupying a
the room. some kneeling, some lying vii
their faces pressed 10 the floor. heeN
shell penetrated the wall. but did not O.
plode. falling harmless before the alta
which was accepted as a miracle, causir
fresh accession OF fugitives from 9th
churches
The writer found a hotel and was a
signed 70 a room, where he stayed viii
the hottest fighting continued In a nearl
street. Two machine guns. mounted
tables, were peppering a house 500 var
away. assisted by cannon. The col
nlander Of the post explained that q
minutes previously the Russians made
sally but were repulsed by this cam,
and the machine guns az $50 PAGES. lea
ing the streets lined with dead Russl ar
The German losses also were heavy. 4
Russians barricaded themselves. In 4
house and shot from the windows Al
the garden walls.
Covered Wsth Bodies.
Bloody hand-to-hand fighting OCCUR
in the capture OF the old govenme
palace. the residence Of the governor. T
Germans attacked Il during the nigl
aud after several hours OF fighting dro
tho Russians from the palace and I
park. Thes correspondent. visiting I
palace. found everywhere signs OF han