The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-01
Americans and Englishmen
Have Narrow Escape
In Caucasians,
ARRESTED by RUSSIANS
.FlnALLY MAKE THEIR WAY TO
+. COAST AND EMBARK FOR
ENGLAND.

s.a CBy Associated iPress.o
LONDON. Mar. THE gauntlet Of
dangers through which a small band
OF Americans and Englishmen passed
In their escape from a copper mining
camp in the Caucasus mountains at
the time OF the outbreak OF war be.
tween Turkey and and Russia is told
by A. II. Trotter Of Syracuse, N. Y,
chief engineer OF the company. who
has finally reached London. Their ad.
ventures form one Of the most excit.
Ing OF the minor episodes OF the war.
The mining village where the party
was caught. Is called Dzansoul, and
lies high up In the mountains about
40 miles from the Russian port Of
Batoum on the Black Sea. The de-.
fence Of these mountain villages
was left to- only few com.
panies Of Russian police armed with
old black powder.rihes. The report
that the Turks were advancing in
force from the south, and had driven
in some of the Russian outposts,
reached the village in November, ano
this was the first news that hostil.
tiles had begun. The people In the
smelter camp were slow to realize
the danger that surround them, and
took no steps to escape until the
American manager OF the company,
r. T.. White. was shot one Sunday
morning while on his way from the
camp to the mines. some miles higher
up In the mountains.
White was riding up the trail when
shot suddenly poured upon him from
a ridge across a ravine. Both he and
his horse were struck, and he fell
from the animal. wounded In the leg.
From noon until evening he lay in
the shelter Of the rock, sniped at ev.
cry time he showed his head. At
dusk, a party, OF which Trotter was
member. sneaked up the trail to ef.
feet his rescue. They brought him
down to the camp. and then sent him
to Batoum.
The following evening some Rus.
sian soldiers, with battery OF three.
inch field guns moved up. They
stationed two Of the guns near the
smelter and four others lower down
at Kura. Most Of the Ion.combatants
OF the village left for Batoum, but a
small party OF Americans and British
remained al. camp. The situation was
not taken seriously, as the Turks were
thought to be only small party of
Inarauders.
The next morning when the two
Russian guns at the mine opened up
at the crest held by the Turks, the In.
frantry, which had been increased to
about 400 men at the mine, were
forced into their trenches by the hot
return fire. sOf the Russians, only a
small band Of. Cossacks carried mod.
ern guns. the. reservistss having only
single shot pieces. - The mountain pc.
lice who were In the majority. were
armed with ancient guns. as said, FIR
ing black powder and lead bullets.
The fighting became so intense, that
Trotter decided to make his escape.
On the way down the mountain, he Of
ten had to take refuge from the fire.
At kura. he met Russian ammuni.
tion train, whose officers arrested him
as German spy and seized a pack.
age OF bank notes he had with him.
Meanwhile, however, the Turks had
slipped across the crest OF the oppo-
site bridge and had begun surprise
attack on the ammunition train, The
horses, which got the worst Of Il Dol.
ted down the mountain, wrecking as
they ran many Of the carts OF sup.
plies and ammunition.
Trotter tried to Jump on one Of the
wagons to escape. but was prodded Off
with bayonets and sought cover.
When a motor car filled with wounded
came by he tried his luck again, but
was unable to explain himself, for
lack Of Russian, and was again bay.
oneted of the car.
The Russian commandment, coming
up later In an automobile, gave him
safe conduct. to Borchka, where the
ammunition train was taken and Trot.
ter's money recovered. With o TEN.
porary pass from the officers, he
made his way by rowboat to Batoum.
The rest Of the English.speaking
party at camp. caught in the fighting
too late to escape, had remained In
In the small hospital at the mine,
| fiyfnp the Red Crosa hAr The arffI,