The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-09-15
YANKEE CAMERA
man C0NQUERs
ALL OF EUROPE.
Little Kansas Photographers Is
Arrested Eleven Times, but
Keeps on Swapping"
FOOLS FRENCH AND GERMANS
Makes Pictures In Trenches During
the Desperate Battle at Mons, With
Bullets Falling Thick-Mar-
veIous Adventures of Don
aid c. Thompson.
By {. ALEXANDER PowELL.


BY e. ALEXANDER POWELL.
Antwerp.-A little man wearing an
American army shirt, pair OF British
ofhcer's breeches, French puttees, and
q Seaforth Highlander's helmet, and
carrying camera the size of parlor
photograph blew into the American
consulate in Ostend.
He announced that his name was
Donald c. Thompson, photographer,
from Topeka, Kan. Europe is chocka-
block with war photographers, but
Thompson is the only one have come
across who has seen war and actually
photographed It.
No one but an American could have
accomplished what he has done and
40 American but Kansan.
The little man is built like Harry
Lauder. He Is hard as nails, tough as
rawhide, and his face is tanned to the
color of well-smoked meerschaum.
His face is perpetually wreathed in
what he calls his ''sunf1ower smile"
Arrived on Tramp Steamer.
Thompson reached Europe on a
tramp steamer with an overcoat, a
toothbrush, two clean handkerchiefs,
and three Of the largest sized cameras
made. He expected to have some of
them smashed, he explained, so he
brought along three as a matter of
precaution.
His papers consist of an American
passport, certificate of membership
in the Elks, and letter from Sam
Hughes, Canadian minister of militia.
authorizing him to take pictures of the
Canadian troops. These and his I'M
mitigated nerve have taken him where
no other civilian has been.
Arrested Nine Times.
Thompson made nine attempts to
get from Paris to the front, was ar
rested nine times, and spent nine
nights in prison. Each time he was
taken before a military tribunal
Utterly ignoring subordinate officers,
he would demand to see the officer
commanding. He would grasp the as
tonished official by the hand and near
~ wiring it off, meanwhile inquiring
solicitously after the generals health
and that of his family.
How many languages do you
speak," l asked.
Three" said he. English, Amert
can and Kansas
On one occasion he Communicated
motorcycle standing outside cafe
and rode it until the gasoline gave out
On another occasion he explained to a
French officer who arrested him that
he was in search of his wife and
daughter. who were dying somewhere
on the Belgian frontier. The officer
was so affected by the pathos of the
story that he wept on thompson
neck and sent him forward in a Red
Cross automobile. Whenever he was
! stopped by patrols he would flourish
his letter from the Canadian minister
OF militia and say he was trying tc
overtake the Canadian troops.
"Vive Canada" the French would
shout. "Hurrah for our brave allies,
aid permit him to proceed He die
not think 1t necessary to inform then
| that the nearest Canadian troops were
at (name of the place censored).
Threatened With Death.
When he was within the sound Of
the German guns he was arrested fol
the ninth time, tried by a military
tribunal, and told he would be shot Il
he we're not out of France in "a hours
He was sent back to Paris in a motor
guarded by two gendarmes, who &C
companied him to the station and saw
him buy q ticket to London. He
dropped off the train, however, a
Amiens.
Shortly after midnight a train o.
fiat cars loaded with wounded pulled
into the station. Thompson climbed
on the top of an American refugee trai1
standing on the next track and made {
fiashlight picture. A panic ensued il
the station, as everyone thought Ger
man bomb had exploded,
Thompson was pulled down and
roughly handled, but the British sol
diers interfered and said he belonged
to their regiment, so he was released
Shortly afterwards a train loaded
with artillery being rushed to the
front pulled into the station. Thomp
son crawled under the tarpaulin GOV
ering field gun snd fell asleep. Whe1
he awoke next morning he was a
Mons.
Goes into Trenches.
A regiment of Highlanders was pass
ing. He borrowed helmet and fel
in with them He marched four hour.
under a scorching sun and then wen
into the trenches with the soldiers.
1 All through that terrible day Thomp
soE piled his trade as the soldiers dit
theirs. Men were shot dead on either
side of him. The British were s,
hard pressed he was disregarded, S,
he dashed forward and lay down i'm
nediately in the rear of the British
guns, Ha said that tbs German fir,
Another Burden.
can xuorriad q n1,