Port Arthur's Boy Hero

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6457, 29 December 1904, Page 2

Port Arthur's Boy Hero

After General Stoessel, Nikolai Suyeff aged thirteen, is the hero of Port Arthur^ According to the Rnssiiii Press, Suyeff has pierced the Japanese lines, carrying despatches to Kuropatfcin, no less than four times. Suyeffi is a lad of good education, the son of an engineer, and grandson of an Knglish lady named Graves. Daring hig third return journey he was captured by tbe Japanese, who spared him a spy's d-ath owing to his youth. On $he night following hiß capture he shot his guard, mounted a cavalry Horse, and made a dash' tor freedom. At three in the morning ha rode up to the outworks at PaUioh^wan with a Jap bnllefc through his shoulder. Suyreff's method of escaping capture was to hide himself by day, and crawl through the investing lines by night. His, first exploit was to walk from Port Arthur to ,Tas-ohi> chao, then in Russian hands, passing Japanese troops no less than eleven times. On another occasion he acted as spy, penetrating the Jap lines, and bringing back the breach-lock of a gun as proof that he had done so. Kuropatkin has decorated the boy de patch rider with the Order of St. George, and Stoessel has specially reported his services to the. Csjar.