University of South Carolina Libraries
CRACOW RELIEVED V • ni SECHI THE lUSSUn ' iiuiiRSKEifan BATTLES BESTBDCTIH Explains Recent Wholesale of Russlaa Forces as Strategy of Tactical to Secure Best Position ion Striking the Germans. A special cable to the New York Times from Petrograd says the offi cial bulletin of Tuesday evening nmkes It sufficiently plain that we are la lor a repetition, with differ ences, of the first Invasion of Poland. ThcrOermans brought up vast forces against Russia, including the stif fened remnants of the Austrian ar mies, and reorganized the whole in a manner highly creditable to the re cuperative powers of our formidable enemy. The German emperor has promised the war-worn troops rest and rewards at Warsaw, which he ordered taken for Christmas. The Grand Duke Nicholas has again been compelled to abandon tempor arily the main objective of his strate gic scheme and draw his armies to gether so as to hold the inner line of the whole strategic front occupied by the respective opponents. Cracow and everything around Cra cow .thus have been abandoned, as happened before. As we know abso lutely nothing of the disposition of the troops occupying the new posi tions, it is impossible to form any opinion as to where the decisive bat tle will be joined. The wholesale withdrawal of the Russian troops from all the positions held a few days ago, except those in front of Warsaw, indicates the strat egy of the tactical Movements to se cure the best military positious for striking at the Germans, t—_ The latter have not yet succeeded in forcing the passage of the Rzura river, about five miles upstream from Hochaczew. The attempt nearly suc ceeded—in fact, a certain number of German troops did get across, but were flung back into the river and lost enormously at various other spots. The Russians took several thon- sando of prisoners, and the Germans left thousands of dead on the field after the Russians' bayonet chargee, but the general result Is perceptible from this bulletin. All Its definite expressions, such as geographical names, show plainly that the last few days have been occupied almost en tirely In forced marches away from positions previously held. On the other hand, account of fights are given without any indica tion sf the numbers opposed to the Russians at this or that point, so that expressions like “messes of killed'* convey no definite impression. It might be a regiment which lost heav ily or an army corps, but pretty cer- tanlly was the former. The withdrawal is believed not to be a retirement after unsuccessful fighting but a deliberate movement intended to secure victory under new circumstances. The elasticity of movement which the Germans have shown by the aid of railways only, the Russians now are exhibiting for the second time without other means of locomotion than those of nature. Very great forces are being press ed into the battle of mutual destruc tion on the separate positions from the left bank of the Vistula near How southward along the Hzura and Rawka to the bend of the Pilica be low Tomasow. Sometimes the Rlssians and some times the Germans take the offensive in these pitched battles, which can not be described as general. The German offensive, which is the fierc est In the north, results more favor ably to the Russians as they approach the zone where the Austrians predom inate In the enemy's ranks. The most southerly of the battles in Poland is on the River Nida, which flows from the north into the Vistula, thirty miles eastward of Cra cow. Here the Russians gained a victory over Danki, whose task appar ently was to link up with the Austro- German army on the Pilica twenty miles east of Novo Radomsk and as sist in the disposition of the German attempt to force a wedge between the Russian northern and southern ar mies. Immense slaughter is taking place in these battles and will doubtless be unabated until ascendency has been definitely established. In the region of Sochaczew thousands of civilians have been killed. The Germans used eight-inch guns against the town and smashed the high tenement houses, whose inhabitants were crushed to death under the masonry. When the population tried to flee along the broad road to Warsaw the German guns poured shell among the dense masses of' men, women and children. Hundreds were trampled to death. At Lowicz the same thing occurred, hundreds being killed under the wrecked buildings. A Russian officer who was decorat ed for the capture of six German guns at Lowicz states that eighty German prisoners were women who had been fighting in the trenches. v *• * Burned to Death. Little 3-year-old Marjorie Decker of Augusta, Ga., was burned to death Christmas day when sparklers set fire to her do the*. GIVEN POISON FOR WINE YOUNG MAN KILLED BY FRQSND8 WITH “PRACTICAL** JOKE. Glvew a Glass Supposed to Hold Wise, He Gulps It Down, and Dies as a Result of its Effects. ' Mr. General L. Martin, the young man alleged to have swallowed a deadly poisonous concoction Christ mas day, thinking it was wine, died at 8 o’clock Sunday morning at the home of hla father-in-law, Mr. Chas. Clark, nine miles out on the Wrights- boro Road, near Augusta, Oa. The death of Mr. Martin is attend ed by very pathetic circumstances, in deed. In the first place, he leaves a young bride of several months—-hav ing been married only in October; and in the second place, the dose* which caused his horrible death is said to have been compounded by some friends, who never dreamed that so sad a result would be the out come of what was intended for a practical joke. There are several versions.of the manner in which the affair came about, the most plausible of which, and the generally accepted version being, substantially this: A large number of young people, including Mr. and Mrs. Martin, went calling on their friends pfi the Wrightsboro Road Christmas morning. At each home visited, wine and cake were served. It seems, though, that Mr. Martin declined to partake of the wine or egg-nog Just so often as the refreshments were passed. His friends took advantage of his abstinence to jeer him, telling him he was henpecked, etc., Finally the home of Mr. 8. G. Boswell, five miles out on the Wrightsboro Road was reached, and here some of the young men in the party are said to have poured into a tumbler a solution, which they claimed was imported wine, and dared Martin to drink it in the presence of his wife. According to the information ob tained from relatives of the deceased, the young men thought Martin would take a sip of the fluid and. seeing that it was not wine, would cease drinking. Hut. upon being dared, he seized the tumbler and drained the contents to the last drop. In a few momenta he was unconscious and writhing with pain, for the solution which he swallowed is said to have been a combination of chloral hy drate and hyoscyamua. This occurred at 10 o’clock in the morning, and the suffering young man waa immediately removed to the home of his father-in-law, several miles farther out ou the Wrightsboro Road, while other members of the party were dispatched to Goovetown to summon Dr. Baxley. The doctor, however, was several miles In the country, and by the time he had been located and conveyed to the Clark home, where Mr. Martin had been carried, it was 3 o’clock in the after noon. Every possible method was ex hausted to repair the injury done by the poison and to save the young man’s life. He regained conaclousne at 8 o'clock Friday night, but at no time until his death Sunday morning was much hope entertained for his recovery. All FUETFUTS BimSB SEA PLANES AND SUPS ATTACK KHAR RATAL USE ZEPPEBUNS JOIN BATTLE! WA5 TURNING POINT f CAPTURE OF LODZ DECIDED CAM PAIGN IN POLAND. ITALY HK1ZK8 AVLONA. Italians Land Force on Seaport of .Al bania—May Cause Complications A company of Italian sailors Fri day occupied Avlona, a seaport of Al bania, on the Adriatic Sea. Recent dispatches from Athens sal^ anarchy reigned at Avlona and that the region around the Albanian seaport was a prey to civil war. Par tisans of Kemal Bey last month forc ed the government to haul down the Turkish flag and hoisted the Albanian colors. Essad Pasha, commander-in chief of the Turkish forces in Alba nla, then sent 500 soldiers to Av Iona and they disarmed the inhabi tants and restored the Turkish flag Italian naval forces occupied Av lona October 26, but the expedition was in the nature of a relief and sani tary organization to aid the large pop ulation which had taken reguge in the city from the persecutions of the Insurgents. Everything was done by the Ital ian government to remove from the expedition anything savoring of po litical or territorial occupation. Pains were taken to show that the steps taken by Italy were merely for the purpose of seeing that the decision of the London conference creating an autonomy of Albany was carried out. THREATENED TO FIRE. Secretary Daniels Calls for Report on \ - News Received From Greece. Secretary Daniels Saturday called on Capt. Oman, commander of the armored cruiser North Carolina, to report whether threats of violence had been made by Turks at Tripoli against American sailors. Athens dispatches said an American warship had threatened a bombardment as a result. One report was that Turkish authorities sought to prevent the de parture of American, British and French consuls, and that the attack on the American crew of a commer cial ship and the threatened bom bardment of Tripoli by the American man of war followed. '■ Naval Engagements Off Mouth of Elbe Sees Airships, Submarines and Cruisers in Action—Reports as to Losses Differ Materially—British Lose Four Planes and One Aviator. Assisted by light cruisers, destroy ers and aubmarlnes, seven British naval airmen piloting seaplanes, made a daring attack Christmas day on the German naval base at Cuxhaven, at the mouth of the Elbe. Six of the airmen returned safely, but the sev enth, Commander Hewlett,’ it is fear ed, has been lost. His machine was found off Helgoland wrecked. What damage was done by the bombs thrown by the attacking party could not be ascertained, but the Ger man report of the affair says the raid was fruitless. The enterprise of the British navy in thus attempting to “dig out’’ the German fleet brought about a battle between the most modern of war ma chines. The British squadron, in cluding the light cruisers Arethusa and Undaunted, which have been en gaged in previous exploits on the German coast, were attacked by Zep pelins, seaplanes and submarines. By rare manoeuvring the ships were abi yeto avoid the submarines, while the Zeppelins found the fire of the cruisers too dangerous for them to keep up the fight. The German seaplanes dropped bombs which, ac cording to the uritlsh account, fell harmlessly into the sea. The Ger mans, however, claim to have hit two destroyers and their convoy, the lat ter being set afire. The British ships remained in the vicinity for three hours without be ing attacked by any surface war slips and picked up three of the seven pilots and their planes. Three others were picked up by submarines, but their machines were sunk. Command er Hewlett, it is thought, was drown ed. The English official statement says "On Friday, December 25, the Ger man warships lying off Schilling Roads, near Cuxhaven were attacked by seven naval seaplanes, piloted by Flight Commanders Oliver, Hewlett, Boss and Kllner. Flight Lieutenants Mllley and Edwards and Sublleuten ant Blackburn. “The attack was delivered in day light, starting from a point In the vicinity of Helgoland. The seaplant were escorted by a light cruiser and destroyer force, together with sub marines. As these ships were seen by the Germans from Helgoland two Zeppelins and three or four hostile seaplanes and several hostile subma rines attacked them. “It was necessary for the British ships to remain in the neighborhood to pick up the returning airmen and a novel combat ensued between the most modern cruisers and the ene my's aircraft and submarines. Hy swift manoeuvring the enemy's sub marines were avoided and the two Zeppelins were easily put to flight by the guns of the Undaunted and Are thusa. « “The enemy’s seaplanes succeeded in dropping their bombs near our ships, but without hltUng any of -them. The British ships remained for three hours off the enemy's coast without being molested by any sur face vessel and safely re-embarked three out of the seven airmen with their machines. Three other pilots rturned later and were picked up by British submarines which were stand ing by. Their machines were sunk. “Six out of the seven pilots re turned safely. Flight Commander Hewlett is missing. His machine was seen in a wrecked condition about eight miles from Helgoland and the fate of the daring and skilful pilot is at present unknown. “The extent of the damage by the British airmen's bombs can not be estimated, but all were discharged at points of military significance. “On Thursday last Squadron Com mander Richard B. Davies, of the naval air service visited Brussels in a biplane for the purpose of drop- pi ngtwelve bombs at an airship.shed reported to contain a German .Par- seval. Eight of these bombs, of which six are believed to have hit, were discharged at the first attack, the remaining four on the return flight. Owing to the clouds of smoke which arose from the shed the effect could not be distinguished.” Von Hindenberg Writes of Recent Happenings In Battles of ('zar'a and Kaiser’s Troops. A dispatch from Lodt, Russian Po land, sent to Posen, Russia, by auto, says the capture of Lodz, according to a declaration made Monday by Gen. von Hindenberg, the German commander, to a correspondent of the Associated Press, was the turning point of the campaign in Poland. The Russian line in northern Po land rested on this city, for the pos session of which there occurred the most bitter struggle of the entire war on this front: After the Russians, following a mpst obstinate resistance oa the part, were forced to evacuate the town, a general Russian retire ment in the direction of Warsaw be came necessary. The Austro-German forces attack ed largely from the north and north- weet. They drove their columns into the Russians in the form of a huge pitchfork, with another large force between the lines of the fork. The intention was to drive the'Rus- sians into the arms of large Austro- German forces massed to cut off their retreat, but the timely arrival of Rus sian reserves from Warsaw resulted in the breaking of the easternmost tine of the fork, relieving the situa tion for the Russians. In one of the operations around Lodz occurred the celebrated “cut ting off” of two German army corps which, after being entirely surround ed by the rapid ad\ance of the War saw reserves, turned and cut their way.out and brought with them 12,- 000 of their would-be captors. The scene of this exploit, which a member of the general staff charac terized as one of the most brilliant of the war, was Strykow, ten miles to the northeast of Lodz. About the same distance west of Lodz is the little churchyard of Beechici, where the Germans were able to attack from three sides with infantry and artillery. All of the Rus sian trenches were enfiladed by shrapnel from one direction or an other, but the Russians clung to their positions obstinately. When the Ger mans finally captured the trenches 878 Russian corpse* were found In a space about 80 yards square. A captured Russian officer said what impressed him and his men most greatly was the Prussian “an- prall"—the silent advance of the Oer: man troops, the assault by line after line of dark figures moving toward the Russian position live wavelets of a rising tide, their otter heedlessnt of the Rucaian fire, which appeared to be wasted on them. They saw men fall, but the gaps were filled up in stantly by others from the rear tine and the advance kept on. All this gave the effect of something irre sistible. the Russian officer said. To see the silent lines of Germans come on and despite all their efforts tried them terribly, causing nerves to snap The Russian evacuation of Lodz was effected so quietly and was cov ered so well that the Germans did not learn of it until the next morning. German officers say that volley firing is still customary with the Russians, whereas the Germans have abandon ed it in favor of individual firing. BATTLE GOES ON I8SBURB UNIT iOCCEBE! Af mist iostimi mm NO RESULTS IN TBE WEST ChrUimns SOU of WHITE GIRLS WOUNDED. Efipwor Nicholas has gone to Moe- rw, while the German Kaiser la re nts* to be La the west, eseourag- German TroopTralna Collide. London reports that 400 were kill ed and 1>00 others hurt when a Ger- man troop train collided with a hos pital train at Kmitsx, Poland. ' Vers Crux Msarp Go*. $554471. The House has passed as emergen cy deficiency bill appropriating |564.- V3I to par (or srpestoa iaeaired at Vera Crma. Negro Desperadoes Fight Pistol Duel Wounding Young Ladies. - Marie Fowler and Myrtle Coleman, members of prominent families of Jonesville, were struck by stray bul lets when Will Haney and Cranford Thomson, negzpes, engaged in a pis tol duel at the railway station at Jonesville late Saturday. Misk Cole man is said to bq dangerously wound ed, one bullet having passed through her body. Miss Fowler's hurts are reported to be painful but not dan gerous. The .negroes were taken to Union for safe keeping as Indignation was general and county officials feared an attempt at lynching. Haney is said to have been dangerously wound ed. * The other’ negro was Injured slightly- FIGHT IN AIK. Two liritish Machine Attack German Invader in Tanbe. The spectacle of a fight in the air, witnessed on Christmas afternoon by thousands, was one which ten years ago would have been considered one of the wildest imaginings of fiction. Three aeroplanes, one a German and two British, were flying over head at 70 miles an hour, almost a mile high in the air, over South End- on-Sea, England. The German Taube was moving more swistly than the others, which swung above it. The British were spitting fire while the German was unable to reply because of the strategic position of the pur suers. When the German first came into sight the anti-aircraft guQs fired sev eral shots, but after the British aero planes gave chase it was impossible to fire without danger of hitting them. I The spectacle lasted only five min utes. The German dodged and twist ed in an effort to escape. The British were on both sides pouring in rapid volleys. The speed at which the aer oplanes were travelling made the aim uncertain, but one of the British ma chines swooped down close to the German and pumped in several shots at close range. The German then returned the fire, but so far as the people on the water front could see, no damage was done on either side. - * MEXICO STARVING. Wh«a ha attempted to rob a raa- taaraat U Cincinnati, Thursday, 41- ‘ a* A waa shot an* klllaA * Consul Begs United States to Send k # Food to Alleviate Suffering. The desperate conditions which prevail in Mexico were cabled Satur day by Consul General Hanna in Mon terey begging the American Red Cross society to alleviate the suffler- ing there. In part, he says: “The conditions in Europe which shock the civilized world have exist ed here across our boarder for four years unconsidered. Mexico it peo pled with widows and orphans and famine la in the land. There la ne:d for. food and clothes and The need Is pressing. There is no time to be lost. Helpless ones are suffering and dying. Arrangements hnve been mads whereby supplies be distributed from the •1 this piece to any locality Finds Huge Armies Engaged in Their Work Slaughter—Minor Successes Claim ed by All Armies Gera Attack on Rzura River. Petrograd reports: “Sonin of the, Vistula, In the region of Taruow (Galicia) on December 25 we drove back the Austrians from the Tucbow- Olpiny line. The enemy abandoned ten rapid flrers and we took forty- three officers and more than 2,500 soldiers prisoners. The next day we continued the pursuit of the Aus trians who retreated in disorder. We captured eight more machine guns and about a thousand prisoners. We occupied the heights near Slediska on the left bank of the Bialg River. “In the direction of Dukie (Car pathians) there were engagements on December 25 and the 26th, and the Austrians driven from the Zmigorod- Dukla line, are in full retreat. In the latest encounters in this region the Austrians suffered enormous losses and left in our hands as prisoners more than 10,000 men.” Berlin reporU: “While the Ger mans are reported to be advancing on the Bzura and along the Pilioe Rivers the Austrians appear to be having a hard struggle to maintain their positions east of the Dunaiec River. They seem to be holding their own. however, on the lower reaches and alto to he gaining ground stead ily in the Carpathians.” Petrograd reports: “Between the lower courses of the Vistula and the Pilica the fighting on December 25 was of a desperate character, with the exception of that region bordering on the Pilica. where, throughout the night and day, violent combats con tinued. Likewise fighting of a des perate nature with the Austrians has been going on along the lower courses of the Nida River. On De cember 24, In that region, we look prisoner sixty-eight officers and about 4,000 soldiers VAeaaa reports: “Aftsr four days of heroic fighting our troops on De cember 25 took Usjok Pass, la Gali cia the Rumlans continued the offen sive, which began soma days ago, and recaptured with superior forces Kros- no aad Jaalo.” Berlin reports: "Russian attacks in the vicinity of Lotzso have been repulsed and we took one thousand prisoners. In North Poland to the eest of the Vistula the situation re mains unchanged Ws have been re pulsed aad wa took one thousand prisoners. In North Poland to the east of the Vistula the situation re mains unchanged. We have ceased our attacks on tbs Beura river. On the right bank of tbs Pilica to the southeast of Tomasxow our offensive has been successful. Further to the south the situation remains unchang ed.’’ Petrograd reports: "On the Rzurs River near the chateau of Tuchow, five miles below Sochaczew, our troops on the night of December 23 utterly routed the strong German forces which had crossed to the right bank of the Bzura. “A German regiment was almost completely annihilated and in addi tion lost five machine guns. We cap tured five officers and 515 soldiers “On the twenty-second and twenty- third violent fighting took place all along the front on the Nida River. It was especially stubborn on the lower Nida between Wlslica and No- wemas to Korchzyn. . “During these two days were cap tured to the north of Pinczow 57 of fleers and more ti an 3,000 soidleis. ’ To the south of Vistula we main tained c ur successes of the previous day. here we took 1,500 prisoners. Vienna reports: “In the upper Ung Valley our attack has gained ground for us and near the Urzoker Pass 650 prisoners were taken. "On the lower Drlna over 2,000 prisoners were taken December 22. ^ “Between December 11 and 20, 430,000 Russians were captured. There are now in the Monarchy 200,- 000 prisoners of war.” Berlin reports; “We have repulsed the Russians after several days fight ing at Mlawa (Northern Poland) and the enemy’s positions at Mlawa again are in our hands. More than 1,000 prisoners were taken in these battles. At the confluence of the Bzura and Rawka Rivers fierce bayonet attacks took place.” Paris reports: “The French forces have pressed forward in German ter ritory to within eight miles of Muel- hausen in their drive against the up per Rhine fortifications. “To the north of Mepnil we took possession of a forest strongly pre pared by the enemy and to the east of trenches captured by us December 23. To the northwest of Mesnil and to the east of Perthes we have driven the enemy from the fragments of trenches which he reoecnpled and we now are masters of ail his first line of defence. ‘‘The progress made through our attacks between the Meuse and the forest of the Argonne baa been al most entirely maintained. According to the latent news our front In this region has reached the barbed wire entanglements of the enemy at the salient angle southwest of the wood of Forges^, — ’’There has been a perceptible ad vance by oar troops la the forest of LaGruete against a front of trsnehea 400 yards wide aad nualag aot leas than 210 yards de*. Ws blew n p with mimes two of Uses German Haas pmuroios ATTEMPTED ITRUHNE NMTSVBT MUD AT MJIKIUjA. bellion Saying There Is mo for Revolt or Specific Grievance. ? Eight Hllptnoe have been on the charge of sedition as a of an abortive rising la Manila and Ha environs Thursday night. Far ther arrests are probable. From army sources it to lanrand that A general warning was sent to all officers Thursday aftermoea stat ing that fully 10,000 FOlptnas la Manila alone were ready for a con certed attack on Fort Santiago, tha Cnartel Espana, tho Courts) lafan- teria and the medical depot. Tha military units were immediately pm- pared and a street patrol was start ed at dusk. Constabulary agents wbo are meat- bers of the secret societies disclosed the plans for an uprising, thus enab ling a force of constabulary and po lice to disperse gatherings at bay an, Paco and Navotas, an bon. At Caloocan a squad of Ameri can sailors seized chairs when a force of Filipinos approached a daaee hall in which they were gathered and, using the chairs as weapons, rooted the Filipinos, of whom quite a num ber were Injured. The rising waa evidently poerly organized and lacked leaders. It was composed for the most part of persons implicitly trusting the word of Artemio Ricarte, a revolutionary, who conducts n continual propagan da from Hong Kong, to which plaea he was banished by the Americas authorities some time ago. Ricarte, it is stated, advised that tha anti- American attempt be made on Christ mas Eve. when the American oHonrs would be expected to celebrate tha holiday. Reports from the provinces tell of minor risings and occasional violence, but details from the sections are lack ing. The Situation from aM appear ances, and according to official state ments, to well under control. Manuel Quezon, resident eemmla- sloner in congress from tha Phimp- ples .declared at Weebtngtoa Satur day he could not credit reports of any serious disturbance. “In the United States took Its troops out of the Philltpplnes to-day,” he said, “the Flltptao people eoald be relied upon to defend A erelgnty there. Thera to no for revolt or any spa against the United States. The pinoe are convinced that tha of the United Staten are them in n spirit of feirneei am ties. There may have been a disturbance which aama i thought was an nprtolag; bet th no revolt. I bare recaiVad a of Christmas greet lags by sable f Manila. Had there beM mm se 1 would have beard of R. aad I not. Prevloae reports that tt necessary to disarm Scoots on Corregldor already have been denied by the insular govern ment. “Tbs reports of revolts will eoa- tlnae as long as there to no dedalte declaration of the United ZUtae as to independence for the PhilHpriae*-” Hl'BMABINE SUNK. French Boat Hit by Shells Fre About Pole Harbor. 1 A steel net stretched across tha entrance to Pole harbor, tha great Austrian naval port, proved tha oa- dolng of the French submarine Curie, says a dispatch from Milam to Lloyd's News at London. In company with other submarines, the Curie was attempting to fore# an entrance into the harbor to torpedo an Austrian squadron. The Curie collided with the not. A merchantman gave the alarm aad the forts opened fire. Two shots struck the Curie, which slorly sank. Tho captain and crew, except one officer. other trench near Pulsalenne and wo. have been able to hold It notwith standing several connter attacks.” Berlin reports: "Some minor en gagements have taken place at Li- hons, southwest of Amiens and at Tracy-le-Val, northeast of Com- piegne. We captured 300 prisoners. “The success of the battle with English and Indian contingents near St. Hubert can be better judged to day. Nineteen officers and 818 men were taken prisoners, while 14 ma chine guns, 12 mine throwers sad other war material was captured. The enemy left more than 3,000 dead on the field. The English asked for a cessation of hostilities to bury the dead. Our losses were comparatively small. “The enemy was again active In the neighborhood of Chalons. Infan try attacks followed a fierce artillery attack made by the enemy In the r% gions of Souain and Perthes. These were repulsed. “A trench kept under continuous artillery fire by the enemy was lost by us but re-captured In the afternoon. The position was abandoned after this successful counter-attack because parts of the trenches had been almost levelled by the enemy’s fire. More than 100 prisoners were left In oar hands.” Killed for One Dollar. r Because he refused to pay a debt ot $1 Michael MaUck, of Chicopee, Masa, kicked Larehec Swan In the head and killed him. •- Has to sister by Charles < the sailor opens their home. ULtngl