Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 276, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1920 — POISON GASES BEAT WRANGEL [ARTICLE]

POISON GASES BEAT WRANGEL

f ' * Yellowirti Fumes Overtake Thousands Who Fall to Ground Grasping HOOPS ARE WITHOUT MASKS • “White* Army Surprised and Cempletely Demoralised by the Attack —Civilians In Sebaotcpoi Aloe Thrown into Wild Panic.

London, Nov. 18.—Gen. Baron Wrangei, the former Sebastopol anti-Boishe-vlat leader in south Russia, has arrived In Constantinople on the Russian cruiser Kronllov, says a dispatch to the Evening Telegraph from’the Turkish capital. How the Reds obliterated General Wrangel’s Crimean army by the use of dense clouds of poison gases is related in graphic stories of soldier and civilian refugees in Constantinople which *have been cabled to London.

According to these witnesses of the disaster to the Ati-toviet army. General Wrangel was preparing to defend Sebastopol and make a last desperate effort to retrieve his earlier defeat, when from the north and east yellowish fumes began rolling toward his lines. It was the first time that the Trotsky troops had resorted to the use of gas and it took the remnant of the Wrangel army completely by surprise. The troops, already demoralised by their first retreat, were without gas masks, and as many as could get away broke from the formation and fled in panic. Clouds Overtake Thousand*. The annihilating clouds overtook thousands, who fell gasptag —an enormous number of casualties. As soon as the news of this sudden rout reached them, panic seised the civilian population and the large number of Red prisoners being held there. Fearing that the town was to be enveloped by the poison gases a revolution started which was rapidly developed. The Red prisoners were liberated and they soon began attacks on the better disciplined nucleus of the remnants of General Wrangel’s army which was falling back, fighting stubbornly.

General Wrangel reached town Sunday morning and announced his intention of making a last stand for Sebastopol itself. Tbe refugees say that he was then surrounded by a small group of officers and men who had remained loyal and he was personally conducting the defense of the city. But the local uprising rendered the defense futile. When an American destroyer steamed out with the last batch of refugees, which have just reached Constantinople, other refugees, they said, were swarming towards a French boat with sailors assisting the women and* children but the gunners, standing by without assisting In the defense of the port. Refug*** Flood Constantinople.

General Wrangel’s staff, the refugees say, made a united appeal to tbe offit-ers of the allied warships In the harbor to sllell the advancing Bolshevik! but the commanders replied that it was Impossible to act in the absence of orders from their respective governments. x The Crimean refugees are flooding Constantinople, taxing the accommodations of the city to theft utmost limit. Many are suffering from exposure and wounds, the hospitals are overflowing, and the influx has caused a serious food shortage. American *nd French' authorities are making splendid efforts at relief work as the pitiable sight is revealed of vessel aftei vessel arriving fnn Crimea, depositing hordes of men. women and children, who are huddled miserably together on the docks awaiting shelter. z