New Britain herald., 1915-02-26
PASS GAUNTLET or
 DANGERS IN ESCAPE
Americans and fng|shmen From
 Caucasus Reach london.


 London, Feb. 26.-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 moun- tains at the time of the outbreak of war between Turkey and Russia IS told by A. H. Trotter of Syracuse, chief engineer of the company, who has finally reached London Their adventures form 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 forty miles from the Russian port of Batoum on the Black Sea. The de- fense of these mountain villages was left to only few companies of Rus sian police armed with old black powder rifles The report that the Turks were advancing in force from the south and had driven in some of the Russian outposts, reached the vil lage in November, and this was the first news that hostilities had begun. The people in the shelter camp were slow to realize the danger that sur rounded 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.
 Rescued at Dusk.
 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 ho r,i ho From noon until evening he lay in the shelter of the rock, sniped at every time he showed his head. At dusk, a party, of which Trotter was a member, sneaked up the trail to effect his rescue. They brought him down to camp, and then sent him to Batoum
 The. following evening some Rus sian soldiers, with battery of three inch field guns moved up. They sta toned two of the guns near the smelter and four others lower down at Kura. Most of the non-combat- ants of the village left for Batoum, but a small party of Americans and British remained at camp. The situ- ation was not taken seriously, as the Turks were thought to be only a small party of marauders.
 IOTCel lnJO lTcnCneS. The next morning when the two Russian guns at the mine opened up at the crest held by the Turks, the infantry which had been increased to about 400 men at the mine were forced into their trenches by the hot return fire. Of the Russians, only a small band of Cossa clxs carried mod ern guns, the reservists having only niacoS tai 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 Trott ter decided to make his escape. on the way down the mountain, he often had to take refuge from the l fire. At Kura he met a Russian am- munltion train, whose officers ar rested him as German spy and | seized a package of bank notes he had with him.
 Attacks Ammunition Train. Meanwhile, however, the Turks had slipped across the crest of the op- 1 poslte bridge and had begun a sur i prise attack on the ammunition train. The horses Which got the worst of it, 1 bolted down the mountain, wrecking 1 as they ran many of the carts of SUD- plies and ammunition.
 Trotter tried to jump on one of l the wagons to escape, but was
 prodded off with bayonets, and sought cover. When motor car filled with l wounded came by he tried his ]uck aga1h' put was unable to explain
 h1mself, Tor lack of Russian, and was 1 again bayonetted off the car.
 Trotter's Money Recovered. The Russian cOmmandant o; l up later in an automobile gave bir,
 safe conduct to Borchka, whom tba
 ammunition train was overtaken and