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Show RUSSIAN CLAIMED IN NEWS mw mm force mrteb to be- - MARCHN&NORTMEASTOFIUKBEN : ; t iii Detailed Account of Bloody .Conflict From Japanese ' Sources; Victory Means .c Domination of Manchuria. -. . ; ' strixTixr. TOZIO, Sept. 1, 5 p. m. There Is a report current here at this hour that the Japanese captured Liao Tang today. It is quite without confirmation. confir-mation. I . ' ' .. t BUIXETUr. TOKIO, Sept. 1, 2 p. m. Popular estimate of the date of the fall of Fort Arthur Incline to the last week in September. TOKIO, Sept 1. 7 p.' m. At daybreak today the Japanese army on the left .'delivered a fierce and successful assault against the heights to the west of Hslnllntun, Hsln-llntun, and the high ground to the west of Shoushanpao. It pierced the Russian lines and probably later forced the retirement of the Russian troops from their positions on the right and center. Marquis Oyama telegraphs that his losses in these assaults were heavy. It is believed here that Gen. Kuropatkln has been sweepingly defeated and that the possession of Uao Tang is a mattr of hours. V , , Gen. Kurokl's casualties from August 24 to August 2S amounted to 2255. that the possession of Liao Tang Is a matter of hours. right column of the second army and occupied a ridge to the south of Tea-fangtung, Tea-fangtung, whence it opened a cannonade upon the enemy at 6 o'clock on the morning of the 80th. Effort to Betake Ground. This first artillery attack proved successful suc-cessful and at 10 o'clock the Russians, having been reinforced from the direction direc-tion of Liao Tang, made an effort to retake the ground they had lost. Throughout the afternoon of the 30th additional reinforcements reached the Russians until their force was estimated estimat-ed at two divisions and fifty or sixty guns. The Japanese continued to attack desperately and at 3 o'clock In the afternoon af-ternoon a junction was effected with the left column of the first army. The Russians Rus-sians were dislodged from Tsafantun and that vicinity. ; The Russians fought with dogged determination de-termination until nightfall. Vigorous Shelling. The main force of the Japanese right, with a portion' of the left attacked the southern Russian line In the neighborhood neighbor-hood of Hangchlatun and Hsinlintutv, and opened the attack against the ridges west of Hslnllntun with a vigorous shelling. The Russians defended these positions against this preliminary attack with energy, and did not allow an opportunity oppor-tunity for an open assault. The main force of the Japanese left occupied positions posi-tions extending from Matowle to Tacha-ochiatal Tacha-ochiatal and attacked the Russians to the west of Shoushanpao. Machine Guns Used. The Russians . used machine guns against the Japanese with effect and the Japanese were unable to press their attacks at-tacks home. During the day the Japanese left wing was reinforced with a detachment from the reserves. The Japanese artillery, which attacked the Russian left reached Wangerbtun at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and poured a fire Into the rear of the Russians at Shaihoflnpa. Strength Not Developed. The operations of the day did not succeed suc-ceed in developing the Russian strength In all directions. By the constant arrival of reinforcements It was seen that the guns at Shoushanpao alone finally numbered num-bered one hundred. The . Russian positions at all points were strongly fortified and the auxiliary defenses blocked infantry attacks. During Dur-ing the night of August 30 the Russians at Shoushanpao attacked the Japanese left and repulsed that portion of the left which occupied Shaoyanzul. ' They also made a night attack' upon the ridge Anili r0 Ohm cVi fl vvin n of the 29th south of .Liao Tang, Field Marshal Marquis Oyama, the commander of the Japanese forces in the field, promptly sent the united armies forward and at dawn of August 30 a desperate attack upon all the Russian Rus-sian positions was made. The Japanese found the Russians holding a long chain of splendidly fortified for-tified positions with a tremendous force of artillery. The Japanese artillery opened the way, but these preliminary attacks generally failed to give an opportunity op-portunity for an open assault "What Victory Means. Victory at Liao Tang means the domination dom-ination of Manchuria and possibly the end of the autumn campaign. The Japanese first army, after occupying occu-pying the right bank of the Lan river an August 27, continued Its forward movement and renewed the assault against the remaining Russian position at Hungshaling where the enemy held out the longest and the most stubbornly. stubborn-ly. They finally took the last Russian positions at this place and on an eminence emi-nence north of Sunchiassai. Following these successes the Japanese Immediately Immedi-ately .advanced toward Siayutzu and Shihchutzu, driving back the small bodies of Russian soldiers sent out to impede their movement Jap Advance Resisted. ' dvuvu v - iivs ucr iich-saw On the morning of August 81 both armies renewed the attack with vigor. By a late hour in the afternoon neither contestant had gained any visible result. re-sult. The Japanese were holding Teng-chlafang Teng-chlafang and Tsangtun and fighting bravely against superior forces. A portion of the Japanese right succeeded suc-ceeded in capturing an eminence to the west of Hslnluntun at noon of the 31st ' BULLETIN. " ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 1,7 p.m. The War office is -nahlej to confirm the dispatch from Tokio to the Associated Asso-ciated Press announcing; that the Russian Rus-sian right and center before Liao Tang had fallen back upon the city. No reports of today's fighting have been received up to this hour. It is pointed out, however, that it is quite - possible Gen. Kuropatkln may have repeated his order to fall back on the main positions, which was given at S o'clock last night, and was not carried car-ried out because the Japanese resumed the battle. . . ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 1. Gen. Kurokl's force is crossing the Taitz river on pontoons. One division Is already across and others are following. follow-ing. 1 , . ' v f Gen. Kuropat.kin's force, It was announced an-nounced from St Petersburg yesterday, occupied positions forming a semi-circle about Liao Tang, the flanks resting on the Taltz river, which flows north of Liao Tang, the left flank being east and the right flank west of the city. It will therefore be seen that the dispatch from St Petersburg announcing that Gen. . Kurokl's fodce was crossing the Taitz river on pontoons, .would indicate that the Japanese have either turned or are turning the Russian left flank, as Ku-rokl Ku-rokl is understood to have been on the Russian left flank. A dispatch to the Associated Press from Liao Tang yesterday announced that the Japanese were getting round the Russian left flank and that developments develop-ments were expected In the west and northeast This statement now appears to be confirmed, for It Is announced from Mukden in a delayed dispatch that ft Japanese force of 10,000 men Is said to be advancing from the northeast of Mukden. The western move has not yet devel- - oped, according to the advices to hand, ' but the announcement probably refers to the Japanese force .which has been reported to be moving up the Liao river. . ' I Tom tne nignt or August 27 to the morning of the 29th the Japanese attacked at-tacked the Russian positions on the ridge to the east of Sanyutza. The Russians Rus-sians finally were dislodged from these ridge positions, but the Japanese left was unable to advance on account of the forceful resistance made by the Russian troops who occupied the forts to the southeast sf Hslanshantzu. Two divisions of Russians which previously had been driven from Hanpolln crossed a bridge constructed over the Taltz river to the north of Slaotantzu and retreated re-treated to the right bank of the river. Attack Made on Center. Continuing the attack, the Japanese center advanced and occupied a line extending from Sanyutxu to the west of Shihchutzu. while the left onthe morning morn-ing of the 29th, after dlsloflglng the Russians at Tashlhmenllng and Hslanshantzu, Hslan-shantzu, advanced to Tayutal and Tengchlafang, where it was reinforced. The Russians checked the advance of all the Japanese forces coming up from the south along the Haicheng-Llao Tang road. The Japanese resumed the attack on the 29th. The Japanese right took a line extending f rom Lelchapao toHelnluchu-ang, toHelnluchu-ang, while the left occupied a line from a point west of Heinluchuang to Tayutal. Tayu-tal. A detached column from the Japanese Jap-anese right advanced toward Weljagou and co-operated with the left column of the first army. The Russians on the Hal Cheng-Li ao Tang road appeared to be occupying a line of ridges extending from a point south of Shoushanpao to a point east of Hangchlatun and running through Hsinlintun. These eminences were fortified for-tified strongly and occupied by a numerous numer-ous force of the enemy. The Japanese bivouacked the night of August 29 in front of these positions. General Attack Begun. At dawn of August 30 all the Japanese armies conjointly, attacked all the Russian Rus-sian positions on the southern front, from a point north of Tengchlafang to a point east of Hangchlatun, and to the west of Hslnllntun and Shoushanpao. The Japanese center attacked with all Its strength: The left column of the first army continued the attack upon Teng-chiafeng Teng-chiafeng and Tayutal, but the Russian there received reinforcements and It was impossible to dislodge them. A separate column was then dispatched from the DESPERATE STRUGGLE OF ARMIES RAGED FROM DAWN TILL MIDNIGHT ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 1, 3:25 p. m. According to official advices from the front the battle at Liao Tang had not been resumed up to o'clock this morning. morn-ing. The battle yesterday was of the most desperate character. It raged continuously continu-ously from dawn until midnight and the slaughter must have been Immense. At 8 In the evening, after holding his outer positions all day in the face of the most desperate charges, Gen. Kuropatkln Kuro-patkln gave the order to retire upon the main works about the city. The Japanese Japa-nese assaults during the day had been directed principally against the Russian Rus-sian center, a little east, of Mactung hill, near the railroad and three miles southwest of Liao Tang. Firing; Was Terrific Nothing approaching the severity of the Infantry and artillery fire here had been heretofore experienced In this war Gen. Kondratsvltch's division bore the brunt and suffered the most Bayonet charges succeeded each other In rapid succession while the " artillery duel never ceased for a moment Hundreds of Guns Used. No attempt was made in the official advices to estimate the number of guns the Japanese used, except that they had many hundreds. Each gun carried car-ried 150 charges and these must have been expended many times, as several hundred -thousand shells were flred between be-tween sunrise and sunset Gen: Kuropatkin's order to fall back on the fortifications probably was due to the receipt of Information that the Japanese had succeeded In crossing the Taitz river, northeast of Liao Tang, although al-though Gens. Rennebkamp's and Mandarlteff's divisions had been especially espe-cially placed in position In this direction direc-tion to checkmate such a movement The Japanese crossed at a point called . '. (Continued on page 6.) " . y ' ' . JAPANESE ACCOUNT OF IATTLE; VICTORY WILL END CAMPAIGN TOKIO, Sept 1, 11 a. m. The united Manchurian armies of Japan have engaged en-gaged In a desperate attack upon Liao Tang, where Gen. Kuropatkln has concentrated con-centrated every available Russian sol- fer. Victory was in the balance and !e battle was a. draw when the weary -Jbldlers bivouacked last (Wednesday) night J ' -i The Japanese are attacking from the south and from the east The right wing of the column attacking from the south keeps in touch with the left wing of the column going In from the east, forming an Immense irregular triangle, the two fronts of which cover an enormous rcnge. , Japs? Desperate Attack. . Following the preliminary successes . . . ' ;' . j ''.. r Russian Defeat Claimed. (Continued from page 1.) Sakankankwantun,' twenty miles east and somewhat obove Llao Yang and marched in force directly westward with the evident object of cutting the Russian line of communication with Mukden. Their exact strength was not established, but a division was made out - As soon as the Japanese found that the Russians were retired from their outer positions southward they resumed the attack there, although it was then quite dark. Thus pressed the Russians arrested their movement to ' the rear and again faced the Japanese. Japs Fall Into Pits. ' With the view of eventual retirement from their outer positions the Russians had dug a large number of pits with stakes concealed In their bottoms. The pits were artfully concealed among the high Chinese corn. When the Japanese charged after the Russians they fell Into the pits in hundreds and were engulfed en-gulfed and Impaled on the stakes and their lines were thrown Into confusion. When the Russians faced about and returned to their old positions they found those death traps filled with dead and dying. Fight Lasts' Till Midnight. The rattle of musketry and boom of cannon continued until midnight when at last silence brooded over the bloody battlefield and the tired soldiers lay down where they had fought while the worn out surgeons and angels of mercy ministered to the wounded all night and the Chinese coolies worked at carrying car-rying them Into Llao Yang. Losses Were Enormous. Gen. Sakharoff in reporting the battle, says the Japanese suffered enormous losses, much larger than those of the Russians, who also lost heavily. GREAT BATTLE IS LIKELY TO BE PROLONGED. FOR SEVERAL DAYS TOKIO, Sept 1.-11:30 a. m. Reports received here from Llao Yang do not mention anything about the casualties which it is presumed are heavy n account ac-count of the enormous forces engaged and the nature of the attack the Japanese Japa-nese are making agathst strongly defended de-fended positions, the second Russian line proving stronger than that at An-shanshan, An-shanshan, which they abandoned. It is estimated that Gen. Kuropatkin has 150.000 fighting men in the field. It Is impossible to forecast the duration of the great battle now going on. It may possibly be prolonged for several sev-eral days. Cash of the County. County Treasurer Carbls has completed his report for the month of August, which Is as follows: k Balance on hand Aug. 1 .$43,182.61 Receipts for August 7.819.78 Total $51,002.29 Disbursements- for August .-.$ 8.802.53 Balance ' 42,199.76 Distributed as follows: General expense $31,917.43 County school 2.989.80 State juror and witness.. 1,46.80 Tax sale redemptions ... 5,676.73 Bond Interest 150.00 42,199.70 New Denver Mint Opened. DENVER. Colo., Sept. 1- The new United States mint In this city was opened today with a President's salute of twenty-one guns and raising of the American flag over the building by George E. Roberts, director of the mine of Washington. Woodmen at Lagoon. The Modern Woodmen of the World held their outing at the Lagoon on Wednesday and a number of interesting interest-ing athletic contests were held and prises distributed. Wisconsin Democrats. OSHKOSH. Wis., Sept. 1. When the Democratic State convention resumed its session today the report of the resolution reso-lution committee was taken up. There will be two reports submitted. Big Firs in Mexico. ' v EL PASO, Tex., Sept L The fire which broke out last night In Juares, Mexico, destroyed fully half of the business houses of the city. Including the Banco de Miners, and. Plccard Brothers dry goods house, one of the largest in northern Mexico. El Paso's fire department went to the aid of the burning city and pumped water from irrigation ditches until the mud stopped up the engine. The loss Is estimated at $130,000. . - - 7 .......... - ' |