Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1908 — GUN DUEL FATAL TO RUSS GENERAL [ARTICLE]

GUN DUEL FATAL TO RUSS GENERAL

SMIRNOFF MORTALLY WOUNDED BY FOCK, A PORT ARTHUR BROTHER OFFICER.

SCENE OF STRUGGLE IS LAID IN CAPITAU

liege of Slav Fortifications, by Japan* esC, Furnishes Memorandum, Outgrowth of Which le Battle —Fight in Riding School.

St. Petersburg, Mar. 19. —Lieut. Gen. Smirnoff was probably fatally wounded in a duel fought hero Wednesday with Lieut Gen. Fock. The men met in the riding school of the Chevalier Guard regiment and fought with pistols, a distance of 20 paces separating them when the shots were exchanged. The duel was caused by the .memorandum written by Gen. Smirnoff on the siege of Port Arthur in which he questioned the courage of Gen. Fock. The latter considered that his honor reputation were involved and challenged the author of the memorandum. Details of the Duel. The riding school was placed at the disposition of the combatants by the commander of the regiment, and the duel occurred with the full knowledge and approbation of the tnilltary authorities. It was witnessed by several officers of high rank, and it Is even reported that several women were present. Generals Fock and Smirnoff appeared at the riding school. Without saluting, they took the places assigned by their seconds. For Gen. Smirnoff the seconds were his brother-in-law, Vladimir H. Purlshkevlch, a member of the duma, and Capt. Schultz, of the navy, while for Gen. Fock, Captain Sldo, adjutant to Gen. Stoessel, and Lieut Podgursky, one of the Port Arthur heroes, officiated.

Smirnoff Hit in Abdomen. The distance between the two coffin batants whs 20 paces, and the duelists were Instructed to open fire at the word of command and continue until one or the other was killed. At Gen. Fock’s fourth shot Gen. Smirnoff groaned and sank forward. He bad been wounded in the abdomen above the right hip. He was carried in a litter to the military hospital, where doctors Wednesday afternoon employed Roentgen rays to locate the bullet. The word “fire” was given each time by Gen. Kireieff, the Russian authority on duelling. At the second exchange Gen. Fock’s coat was perforated. At the third exchange Gen. Smirnoff accidentally fired prematurely, but Gen. Fock magnanimously declined to shoot at a defenseless opponent, and the fourth and final shots were then exchanged. This duel will be followed by another between Gen. Fock and Gen. Gorb&toffsky.* Figured In Port Arthur Siege. j— Ge». Smirnoff was acting command* ant of the Port Arthur fortress during the siege and at the time of its sur-ren-ler to the Japanese. After his return to Russia he prepared a secret report of the defense of Port Arthur which was the basis of the indictments on which Lieut. Gen. Stoessel, Lieut. Gen. Fock and Maj. Gen. Reiss were tried for their lives before the supreme court-martial. Gen. Stoessel was accused of cowardice and incapacity, and Gen. Fock, according to the indictment, displayed thorough Incapacity and want of judgment Gen. Fock Reprimanded. The outcome of the trial was the sentencing to death of Gen. Stoesßel, which finding was later commuted to ten years’ Imprisonment, while Gen. Fock was ordered to be reprimanded for a disciplinary offense. | Gen. Smirnoff also was on trial before the court-martial charged with having failed to remove Gen. Fock from his command, although he suspected an agreemeqt between Gens. Stoessel and Fock to surrender the fortress. He was acquitted of this charge.