Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-25

Probably the first eyewitness of the
bombardment of Belgrade Servia, by
Austrian gunboats-the shots that open
ed the present European war-to reach
America is DIR. Louis o. Hartman. super
intendent of the foreign department of
the board of Sunday schools of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, who landed in
New York yesterday from the Principe
di tdine, from Genoa. He was at Sem
Iin Austria. a few hours after the bridge
across. the Danube connecting Austria
and Servia was blown up and the opening
of the attack on Belgrade by. the Aus
trian gunboats in the Danube and the
firing from the Servians into the Austrian
camp near Semlin-
DR. Hartman was on his way to China
through Servia. Austria, Germany, Rus
STA and Siberia when his trip was sud-
denly cut off by the blowing up of bridges
and the rain of shot and shell. He was
in Vienna when the time of the Austrian
uItimatum to Servia expired, and he saw
the excited crowds gather in the streets.
While l was there DR.. Hartman said,
the crowd turned from the Austrian ma
tional anthem to singing an old war
song-20o years old-about the taking of
Belgrade.
Arrival at Budapest.
Austria and Tuesday I reached Buda
pest" he continued. THAT morning
extras came out, announcing the Aus
trian declaration of war. With the two
Germans with whom 7 was travelling. We
started on toward Belgrade. AT Verbasz
friend of one of my companions wanted
10 talk to us through the car window
when our train was in the station Two
army officers were detailed to overhear
every word. That shows the espionage
under which all foreigners were. When
we We're at Ujyideek. | wanted to get a
picture of some children. 1t was neces-
sary to get them to an inner court, out
pf sight of the military guarded street
to take any picture
We reached Semlin July ~. after a
trip on a railroad guarded. at every tun-
mel and bridge, by soldiers. At 1 o'clock
that morning, the Servians had blown
up the bridge across the Danube from
Semlin to Belgrade. the Servian capital
Later that morning Austrian gunboats
that had been in hiding appeared on the
Danube and began to shell the fort of
Belgrade. 1t was estimated 100 Servians
were killed. Prince Michael street in
Belgrade was set afire by the lombard
ment.
Servians Shell Austrian Camp.
las We We're eating at a restaurant in
Semlin the Servians began Smelling the
Austrian camp just outside of Semlin
We did not know at what minute an
er-enthusiastic Il bad-aiming Ser
Wan might throw shell into the town
where We were. We thought it good
time to get out When We reached the
station. the ticket agent, a woman, was
about TO close the office and leave. Just
after we bought our tickets. she slam
med the ticket window shut and came
aboard our train
AT Szbadke the train was stopped
and We're all told to get out The
train was to he taken for military pur-
poses and We We're left to get along
as We could At the hotel oar pedigree
was demanGed-who we We're, where
from where going, what doing in Aus
tria, etc. | wanted to get out at once,
but the passport seemed to he of no
use. Finally showed a letter from
Charles W. Fairbanks, former Vice
President. The man who saw it was an
unusually intelligent military man. and
that letter enabled me to get out.
0n the train. which left in the even
ing, was a woman who had just escaped
from Belgrade. Her husband had beer
left behind there by the blowing up OF
the bridge. but the next morning he
crossed the Danube quietly in a small
rowboat They We're on their way north
when her husband was ordered to 1oir
the army, and he had to turn back
Reports Censored by Government.
When we arrived at Buda Pest We
told the story of the lighting at Belgrade
and SemGn to newspaper reporters. but
the government censor would not allow
il TO be published. July 81 We reached
Vienna. The order calling out the re,
serves up to forty-two years of age had
Just been issued, and the station was
packed with men going to join the color.
and with woman members of their fam
lilies weeping and in utter detection.
we decided TO take the next express
for Zurich, Switzerland. The first sec
ton was entirely for soldiers but the
second section took a crowd From
Zurich - tried to reach Marseille
France. but at Lausanne. near the Dor
der. all of on the train We're tolt
train service in France was stopped