The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-01
Crown Princes Army HaIts at
Inner DefenSes.
Berlin Reports Evacuation of
FreSneS by French.
FRESH ASSAULT ANTICIPATED
Germans Shift BOmbardment to
Two Other Forts.
French Holding Positions
Firmly Before Verdun.

London, March 1.-The Ger
man offensive against Verdun,
which had brought the crown
princes armies up to the inner
line of French defenses, has
halted there, according to to-
days official statement from
Paris.
The lull extends along virtual
" the entire front where the
desperate -truggles Of the past
week have been going on. There
were no important developments
at any point during the night,
the Finch war office reports.
The French official statement says
there are signs of German prep
aration behind the front west Of
-Mousson, IS miles southwest
of Metz and in the Moselle river reg
ion. The French guns have been
pounding the second and third line
German positions here while an inter-
on at various points between ReSnie-
Vile and Remnauville some half
dozen miles west of Ponth-a- NJ Mousson.
Paris dispatches declare the situa-
tfon north of Verdun satisfactory to
the French who have strongly forti-
fled their positions from Cote du
Poivre, four miles due north to
Douaumont three miles to the east,
along which line the German pressure
above Verdun has been heaviest At
Douaumont itself several hundred
Germans are reported still cut off in
the front, which the French have sur
rounded
\ German Victory.
Berlin. March French troops
were forced to evacuate the city of
Fresnes, IL miles southeast of Nerdun.
on Tuesday, according to a dispatch
from the correspondent Of the Lokal
Anzeiger telegraphed from the crown
princes headquarters today
This is the first report of the evacu-
alton of Fresnes. London dispatches
today reported Fresnes almost sur
rounded by the Germans.
Germany Shifts Six Miles.
London. Marcn six miles east
and northeast of Verdun the shifting
German attack is being directed .tth
the greatest violence against Forts De
Vaux and De Pavannes.
The TeuJons are batterinS the
French positions on the Metz-Nerdun
railway with heavy artillery brought
nm from Etain. The French are max
ing their stand at the railway station
of Elk The guns of Fort De Pa
vannes have beaten back charge liter
charge of whole German brigadss
North and south of the railway the
crown prince is smashing heavily at
the French front. The Teutons NOV
ing southward from Dieppe are ad-
vancing on Fort De Vaux, preceded by
a hurricane of artillery fire. The
French are replying shell or shell and
holding their position east of the Vaux
village.
French on Offensive.
Thirteen miles southeast of Verdun,
the city of Fresnes, an important
highway center, is two-thirds sur
rounded by the Germans. Vicious
fighting is occurring around Man
huelles two miles to the northwest.
the French attempting to recapture
the position and strengthen their
front.
The latest dispatch from Paris re-
'ports French positions holding firm
along the eight-Toile front 20 TN of
Verdun, but the German cannonade is
increasing in violence, indicating the
beginning of a fresh assault against
Pepper Heights.
Duels Along Entire Front.
Artillery duels are breaking out
along the whole western front from
the Belgian coast to the Vosges. Opin-
ion is divided here as to whether this
indicates the beginning of q general
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