The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-04-13
EvACUATE
TlWN|NEAR lERDUh
Tsutons Capture Bethincouri
After Furious Fight.
PARIS ADMITS GERMAN GAIN
Crown Prince Checked With Heavy
Losses on the Mort Homme.cu-
mlsres Froht--BerIln An
nounees No Changes.

London, April 10-The great Ger
man drive West OF the Mouse has at
last captured Bethincourt. The peak
Of the French salient, which has been
the object OF the German attacks for
nearly two weeks, was evacuated by
the French Saturday night, according
to the communicate from Paris, and a
terrific battle ragged along the entire
line from Bethincourt to the Meuse
yesterday, with the crown princes
forces making furious assaults 10
break through to the verdun.St. Meme
hould railway
Menace to Germans.
Bethincourt lying approximately ten
miles northwest Of the city OF Verdun.
has been held by the French In the
face OF terrific German attacks for
many days, while the Teuton advance
continued both east and west Of the
town, leaving that stronghold as seri.
Gus thanking menace to the Germans
advancing around Malancourt and
west OF Mort Homme. The danger OF
banking attack by the French was q
constant check on the German drive,
while the French on the other hand
faced a cross fire which threatened
to cut OFF 100000 men defending the
salient.
BY the retreat from the town and
the abandonment of this position pro-
Jecting like a spear into the German
front the French have Strengthened
out their line to position much more
easily defended, but offering the Ger
mans a clearer line OF attack.
AT the same time the advance may
mean serious results II the new French
lines are not strongly held, as the
move toward the French connecting
railway is now opened to, straight at
tack. 80
French Admit Retreat.
The French statement admitting the
retreat follows:
West Of the Mouse there occurred
q violent battle, which lasted the
whole day, The whole Of our front
from Asocourt TO Cumieres was en-
gagged, the engagement even extend
Ing to the eastern bank OF the river.
Our evacuation Of the salient Of
Bethincourt. which was premeditated
and which was effected Saturday
night made it possible for us to estab-
lish a continuous line, starting from
the redoubt OF Avocourt, following
along the edge OF the first wooded hills
to the west Of Hill 3O4, then along the
southern bank of the FORCES rivutet
northeast. to Haucourt and then join
ing up with our positions a little to the
south of the crossing OF the roads from
BethincUurt to Esnes and to Chattan-
court.
On the Mort Homme. Cumieres
front the German offensive suffered a
very sanguinary check. The German
attacking columns, which debouched
from the Cumieres wood in dense for
nation, we're caught under the fire OF
our machine guns and artillery and
were dispersed, leaving hundreds of
bodies on tho ground.
Near Hill 295 we exploded a mine
which entirely filed the German
trenches along considerable length
OF front and destroyed small Ger
man post"
Hand.to-hand fighting in the COM
munication trenches south OF Douau-
mont village, where the chief French
attacks have been launched for the
past ten days, resulted in the capture
OF nearly 200 yards Of the German
trenches.
The Berlin statement announces no
changes.