The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-03-25
n7,OOO TEUTONS
CAPTURED BY RUSS
PrzemySl Surrendered to Avoid
Mutiny.
CAR LOST 10000 MEN
Muscovites Suffered Heavy Losses
During Long Siege--75o,ooo
Troops Are Hurled at
Austrians.

roopS are f1uTleu at
Austrians.
Petrograd, March 24.-The Russian
| war Office announced that 1900 men
were captured at Przemysl. The
statement follows: According to fig
ures given by General Kusmanek, late
commander at PrZemysl, the number
| of prisoners who surrendered to the
Russians was nine generals and nine.
ty-three officers of the general staff,
$500 officers and officials and $4,000
men. The number of guns and other
war material captured is being cal
culated"
Mutiny Caused Surrender.
Mutiny broke out in the starving
garrison at Przemysl, and General
Kusmanek surrendered to the Rus
SLAMS to prevent disgraceful revolt,
according to the war office.
On Sunday afternoon the Austrian
commander ordered 10000 Of his
troops to participate in savage at
tack upon the Russian lines on the
south. His object was a desperate
dash that would put gap through the
line of the besiegers and enable at
least part of the garrison to fight its
way to safety.
Several units refused to move. Off
GERS dashed back and forth along the
Austrian lines, threatening to execute
the mutineers. They stood their
ground, however, and were joined by
other groups who threatened to march
out and lay down their arms to the
Russians unless they were given food.
General Kusmanek called a confer
ing that lasted until nearly midnight,
1t was decided to surrender.
BY FRANCIS LAvELLE MURRAY.
International News Service Correspondent
Petrograd, March 24.-With the
great Galician fortress of PrZemysl in
Russian hands, the Russian army
which captured this stronghold after
a siege of many months, has already
been set in motion westward against
Cracow, the only important city in
Galicia remaining in Austrian posses
sion, according to information re
ceived here.
A gigantic offensive movement Is
being launched by the Russians all
along the line and the indications are
that one of the biggest battles yet
fought on Austrian soil is developing.
Capture 100000 Austnans.
Estimates of the number OF Aus
TRAN prisoners taken vary, but a dis.
patch from Lemberg states that more
captiVes were taken than was first be-
lieved and that the number may reach
100000.
When the Russians entered
PrZemysl they found it a city of death,
disease and ruins. All the horses eX-
cept those owned by army officers had
been killed for food. Foul water had
caused an outbreak Of typhoid fever.
The hospitals were full of sick, wound
ed and dying. The streets of the sub
urbs were ridged with mounds, where
dead soldiers had been buried. The
great forts were masses of wreckage,
having been dynamited on orders of
Gen. Hermann Won Kusmanek, CON-
mander of the garrison.
Victory a Dear One.
Although the victory was a big one.
1t had cost the Russians dearly. 1t is
estimated that 10000 Russians were
killed and wounded during the months
that the siege went on. Not only
were many Russians killed by the eff
cient fire Of the Austrian gunners, but
the fierce sorties were attacker and
defender fought at hand to hand. re.
suited in heavy casualties.
Toward the last the Austrians grew
prodigal OF ammunition. 1t is sup.
posed that the officers saw that sur.
render was inevitable and decided to
hasten it by expanding all their am
munition in one great burst of can
nonading.
The Austrians are reported to be
rushing all possible re-enforcements
to Cracow and the Carpathians to re.
sist the sweep of the Russians. It
will require a gigantic force to stem
the onrush of Grand Duke Nicholas
host for the Russians are reported to
be massing close to 100000 men in the
Carpathians and on territory adjacent
to the mountains.
The Russians captured a number OF
standards, but few war supplies fell
into their possession with the capture
of Przemysl. The city was practical.
ly destitute of food and virtually all
the ammunition had been shot away.
The great gshs in the forts had been
, rendered useless in most instances by
the blowing up of the works. How.
ever. 1t ID estimated that between To-.
, 900 and $4,000 small arms were taken
: by the captors.