The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-02-03
AUSTRIANS LOSE
10000 IN TRAP
Russians Lure Enemy Ito Over,
Wh9Im.0g 5.S33i3T
SLAUGHTER is H1ln GRaCON


slavs Reinforce Lines In Western
Galicia Unknown to Their Enemy.
Cars Generals Then Play Favorite
Game Of Withdrawing skirmishers
and Au5trjans Follow Right into the
Jaws OF Death.
London. Feb. 2.-According to a re
port from Cracow to the Tribune OF
Geneva the Austrian forces in western
Galicia have met with an over,
whelmiHg reverse.
Lured into Russian trap sixty
miles from Cracow the Austrians lost
1900 men in killed. wounded and cap,
tured. The Austrians abandoned posi-,
tions they had held for long time
and fled toward Cracow, the retreat
ending at point less than thirty-five
miles from the forts.
For SIX weeNs the Russians occu.
plying Tarnow and the lower Dunaiec
were content to wage defensive war.
fare, lacking troops and artillery suf
ficient to risk general engagement.
They succeeded in the past week IL
heavily reinforcing their lines.
Fresh corps arrived without the
Austrian Intelligence service being
aware of a large movement OF troops.
Ignorant of the actual numbers of the
Russians defending Tarnow, the Aus
trian commander decided to launch a
general attack.
Employing a form Of strategy which
has often brought success to their
arms, the Russians withdrew skirmish
lines until the Austrian infantry di-
visions were within range of batteries
posted and concealed for the purpose
of surprise, Suddenly the Austrian
columns We're devastated by shrapnel
which came from three directions. AS
they fed from a field covered with
their dead and wounded they were
ridden down by Cossacks. A general
movement OF the Russian infantry
completed the rCut and crowned a de
cisiye victory.
If the Tribune's information is &C
curate, the AuStrians have again
failed to hold a position assigned
them by the German general staff,
nullified General Won Hindenburg's
terrific eXertions in Poland and left
the southern road to Cracow open to
the Russian invaders.
The Russian general staff reports
that the Germans have energized their
attack on the Warsaw front and are
beginning to use large bodies of in
fantry, instead of small attachments,
in their day and night onslaughts
against the Russian positions.
Their increased offensive movement
began on Jan. 26, when they threw
5000 men against the Russian front
at Borjimow. After the successive
charges were repealed the Russians
questioned prisoners and learned that
four regiments had participated in the
drive against Borjimow.
The fighting was as desperate as
has taken place in this bitterly con
tested region. Charge after charge
was delivered by the Germans on Jan.
30 and the Russians, holding firm until
the coming of night. made several
counter attacks in the darkness,
bayoneting the Germans from all
trenches that had been taken, except
one line.
The Russian military authorities as.
sumo on the basis of these operations
that Marshal Won Hindenburg is not
yet contemplating a retirement from
the Rawka and Bzura positions, but is
determined to make still another eff,
fort to smash the Russian defense and
seize Warsaw for the kaiser. The
activities of the past few days are
taken to be development of a new
drive.
The news that the Russians in East
Prussia are advancing on Insterburg
from the north and west and are
threatening Tilsit with its store
houses OF grain, as well as driving the
Germans across the Inster, reveals the
extent OF Russian activity in the most
mort hprlv arno Of fob