New-York tribune., 1915-03-24
GREAT STORES
OF WAR SEIZED
Increasing Magnitude of
Victory Creates Wild
Joy in Russia.
$4,000 AUSTRIANS DIE
Garrison Cut Down from 170,-
GOO by Battle and Disease--Tts
Surrender Unconditional.
[By Cahle % rhe r,,hnn.

10y tanle 70 me Tribune
Petrograd, March 23.-The fruits Of
the Russian victory at Przemysl, as an
nounced by the General staff tonight,
are so much greater than was anticipat.
ed that Petrograd is beginning it's cele-
bratlon anew. The figures given by
General Won Kusmanek, commander Of
the captured garrison, to the Russian
General Seliwanoff show that, instead
of force of $4,000, the victors have
taken an army of 1l7,000 men, with
$500 officers and 90 members of the
Austrian General Staff, in addition to
the nine generals mentioned yesterday
as among the prisoners. The surren-
der was unconditional.
The garrison originally consisted Of
10000 men. OF these 10000 were
killed and about 1900 died from vari-
Gus causes, many from typhus.
The amount of war munitions seized
is not given in the official communica-
ton, but unofficial dispatches from
Przemysl say that 2,4OO guns, of which
LOCO are heavy pieces, are among the
booty. Notwithstanding the long siege
the defences of Przemysl arc in good
condition and can be repaired az ehce.
Hungary Garrison Mutinies.
To-day's communications from the
captured stronghold, both official and
unofficial, tell a story of famine and
suffering that finally developed into a
mutiny, which handicapped the Aus
trian commander when he sought to
lead his troops in a desperate sortie to
cut a path through the beseging Rus
sian lines. A Hungarian division, parts
Of German brigade, and a German
Hussar regiment obeyed orders and
made the attempt, though at heavy cost.
Entire units refused to move in spite of
the stirring appeal of General Won
Kusmanek.
Lemberg reports that for seven days
prior to the fall of the fortress the
people of the town had nothing 10 eat,
and the Russians, who took in large
supplies of provisions, we're welcomed
as liberators.
Dispatches from the same place say
that $4,000 persons were found suffer-
ing from typhus or cholera and that the
work of disnfecting the place is being
energetically undertaken. The interior
forts, it is said, were found intact, with
good deal of ammunition in them.
Correspondent Reaches City.
A Russian correspondent. who set
out from Lemberg for Przemys' upon
receipt of the news that the fortress
had surrendered, sends a graphic SC
count of the conditions prevailing
there
On the way he passed S:heljhinze.
where the Austrians made ,heir last
desperate sortie three days before.
The ground was still Uttered with
dead. which were being removed by am
balances. Further on was seen
pillar of smoke, marking al that re-
mained of the strongest of the outly-
ing forts.
On the other side of the road were
trenches and barbed wire entangie-
ments, with a dozen field gIhs pro-
truding. Austrian officers. who re-
tanned their swords, and th4ir men
were passing as prisoners to ;he rear.
From Perekopague, suburb OF
PrZemysl, a clear view was Obtained Cf
the centre of the town. ~ the
bridges had been destroyed by the
Austrians, but the Russians lad al
ready constructed a pontoon bridge, by
which Austrian troops and some in
habitants were leaving the tom. The
Cossacks were waiting to go in
Forts Smoke Like Volcanoes.
All around the fortress, burning
forts smoked like a circle of volcanoes.
while continuous explosions were heard
as the Austrians blew up ammunition
stores.
Austrian soldiers relate hat the
commander of Przemysl, in his official
orders, thanked the people of the town
the evening before the surrender for
their loyal attitude and warned them
of the coming capitulation
At o'clock the next morning loud
explosions were heard from every part
of the fortress, when the Austrians
were blowing up the works preparatory
TO surrender. Then part of the Rus
sian forces threw themselves within
the Notifications, and by Z o'clock IN
the morning the inner sections were in
their hands At the same time, says
the correspondent, the Austrians shot
their horses 10 prevent them from fall
ing into the hands of the Russians.
In the meantime the Austrian rep
resentatives came out 10 announce the
capitulaton of the garrison and fort
ress. The town of Przemysl itself Is
intact; the outskirts alone suffered.
The large civilian population, chiefly
Jews, remained in the town.
Big Offensive Expected.
Now that the Russians, whose num-
bers, like those of the Austrians, must
have been greater than was before un-
derstood, are no longe. under obliga-
ton TO invest this fortress, big move
ment either against Cracow or in the
Carpathians will doubtless be inaugur-
ated. With their northern lines pro-
tected by the morass into which the