El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-06
AMERICANS ARE
CAUGHT IHGHMP
BETWEEN FIRES
Mining Town in Caucasus
Mountains Attacked by
Turks; People Escape.
TURKS FIRE ON THE
AMERICAN MANAGER

- ANNNN-Na Ing lAaAEA D. 4 ne ud-AA-
{ gers through which a small band
/ - Of Americans and EngIishmen
| passed in their escape from copper
mining camp in the Caucasus noun
! tains at the time of the outbreak Of
the war between Turkey and Russia
is told by A. II. Trotter. Of Syracuse.
" y. chief engineer OF the company.
who has finally reached London. Their
adventures formed one of the most ex-
citing 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 defence Of these
mountain villages was left to only
few companies OF Russian police armed
with old black powder rifles. The re-
port that the Turks were advancing in
force from the south. and had driven
in some Of the Russian outpOsts,
reached the village in November. and
this was the first news that hostilities
had begun The people in the smelter
camp were slow TO realize the danger
steps 10 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 fin the mountains.
American Manager Shot.
White was riding up the trail when
shots suddenly poured upon him from
a ridge across the 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 shell
ter OF the rock, sniped al every time
he showed his head st dusk, party,
OF which TrOtter was a member,
sneaked M the trail 70 effect his res
cue. They brought him down to camp, ]
and then sent him to Batoum-
The following evening some Russian
soldiers. with a battery OF three inch
field guns. moved up They stationed I
four others lower down at kura- Most
OF the noncombatants OF the village left I
for Batoum. but small party Of Amer
leans and British remained at camp. Z
The situation was not taken seriously, I
as the Turks were thought to be only a I
small party Of marauders-
The next morning when the Russian ]
guns at the mine opened up at the |
crest held by the Turks. the infantry,
which had been increased to about 400 |
men al the mine. were forced into their ,
trenches by the hot return fire. OF the
Russians. only a small band OF Cos
lists having only single shot pieces The 1
police. who were in the ma /
jOrity. were armed with ancient guns, I
firing black powder and lead bullets.
Arrested Spy.
The flShtinE became so intense that /
Trotter decided to make his escape. I
On the way down the mountain he 4
often had TO take refuge from the fire. 4
At Kura. he met a Russian ammunition
train, whose officers arrested him as a
German spy and seized a package Of
banknotes he had with him.
Meanwhile, however. the Turks had
slipped across the crest OF the opposite Z
ridge and had begun surprise attack
on the ammunition train. The horses.
which got the worst Of IL, bOlted down
the mountain, wrecSing. as they ran, I
many Of the carts OF supplies and am
munition.
Trotter tried 20 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 IN
able TO explain himself for lack OF
Russian, and was again bayoneted off
he car.
The Russian commandant. coming up
later in an automobile. gave him safe
conduct TO BOrchka, where the ammu-
milton train was overtaken and Trot-
-er's money recovered. With a tenn
DOrary pass from the officer. he made
his way by rowbOat to BatoUm.
Nike GAlmu IN hospital
The rest Of the English speaking
party at camp, caught in the fighting
TOO late 10 escape. had remained in
he small hospital at the mine, flying
he Red Cross flag. The artillerymen
erving the guns at the camp were cut
IF TO two men. and the infantry to-
ward night became helpless. The
Turks were advancing in the dark,
lighting their way with burning sheds
Two Of the party, an American and a
Scotsman started the ]
Mountains to the Russian town OF
Artvin. while the others. under cover
u darkness. took chance on reaching |
3Orchl1a and got through safely. The
American. Morris Caldwell, and the D
Scot, got lost in the mountains and
we're for three days without food. be-
.ore they finally arrived at a river
which they had to swim In midstream
Scot was killed and his body drIfted [
Town stream, but Caldwell escaped 10 /
b Turkish village He was so worn
Tut that he even dropped off to sleep I
While seeing a Turk in the same room ]
yhet butcher knife and talk about Z
b Holy war"
Set Free by Turk.
BY good fortune. an old Turk former
y employed at the mine. recognized {
]aldWeu as an American and set him I
rec He returned TO the mine. board
d up the camp, and then worked his /
way TO IrebiZOnde- Here he was ar
ested as spy and served IS days in a Z
'ruklsh prison. He obtained release
.nly by the mere chance Of signaling a ]
assiug American. who happened TO be !
he United states consul. From Ire
izonde he took q Greek steamship for
'onstantinople, which made the trip in
g days instead Of the usual three.
er for blood revenge. If the offender
imself is not killed, one Of his rela- I
ives must be the victim, and thus the y
ndless chain is begun. The vendetta 1
nay be finally bought or called off" q