New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-13
Arrested After Seeking
Missing Friend at Com
peignc Hospitals.
WITHIN SIGHT OF
FRENCH BATTERIES
English Officer Acts as Liber-
ator and Invites Major to
5 O'Clock Tea.
BY NINE. JEAN ALCIDE PICARD.

BY NINE. JEAN ALCIDE PICARD.
Especial Correspondent ~ the Tribune.l
Paris, Oct. IL. Major Louis Living
ston Seaman has been in Paris the
last two weeks. where his help at the
different hospitals has been highly APP
preciatcd Lately he went TO the
region OF Compicgnc, where he had q
thrilling experience The object Of
his journey was 10 try 10 learn some
thing about dear friend, an English
officer, whose disappearance cannot be
accounted for. Whether he is dead.
wounded or n prisoner OF tho Germans
has not vet been discovered. This Is
how Major Seaman told me Of his ca
perience:
provided with all due passports,
'sauf conduit and 'laisscz passer,' /
started on the trip with friend in an
automobile. Our search of the differ
ent hospitals Of Compieguc was fruit
less My friend had not been heard
Of.
Reluctantly we turned back to come
to Paris, but we did that which proved
p very different thing. AZ the rate Of
sixty miles an hour we were tearing
through the woods and fields on still
wonderfully good roads, when sudden
t. VIC were stopped. confronted with n
French havonct We exhibited our
napcrs and permits. but although visi-
hly impressed by the stamps of the
ro~crnment military Office, etc, the
sentinel didn't seem to understand and
looked doubtful. Finally our expla-
nations and the countenance OF my
friend. who had quite military look,
carried the day, and VIC we're passed.
Cannonade Heard All Day.
"All day the csnnonadc had been
heard. One becomes so accustomed to
il as to forget il entirely, but then, as
the automobile sped down the road, the
cannonade could no longer be ignored.
il seemed suddenly 70 be coming from
all the cardinal points.
at turn Of the road a party ot
French infantry was discovered and
second sentinel inquired about our
business in the place Not satisfied
with our explanations he turned to an
officer The latter looked stern and
wanted TO know how We had come thus
far. After some dcliberation he asked
me TO get into his car, while q soldier
jumped in by my friends side, and
we proceeded.
"Shells were passing over our heads
and VIC seemed 70 be getting nearer
and nearer the guns. but ! asked Arc
we not going directly into the Germans
lines" no. indeed was the reply.
Don't you know you are iu the midst
Of battle? We are nov between the
firing lines of both armies. This IS
what You may call q duel Of the ar
tiilery. You have come from the direc-
tion of scissors, and, frankly, you
should not be here tried 10 keep
up lively conversation, 50 as 10
clear the air.
Right and left or US. In sugar
beet field, irregular little mounds rose
very close TO one another, covered with
fresh earth. You see.' said the officer,
here many Of our men had deadly
struggle One or more officers were
met and there was more parlcynG.
Shell Tears Hole in Church.
"Mcanwnile shells kept bursting all
Ground Us and one tore a hole in a
little church nearby. Suddenly" here
wish | could reproduce the exact imi-
tation OF sound Major Seaman gave
me tive were almost swept of our
feet by a terrible explosion. Turning
around. ! saw only q few wards away
the French batteries a. work. Il was =
wonderful sight but we were not 10
b. allowed the view Of the rare per
Torrance.
W. were told that we were prison,
crs. and, closely guarded, were taken
TO headquarters. There, conversation
being difficult on account Of neither
party having an accurate knowledge OF
the language Of the other, We went up
q liftls. tortuous staircase 20 the room
Of an English officer. who was first TO
look int, our case. After 70 little pre-
liminary talking he and my friend die
covered thai they had mutual acQuRint-
ances and really knew each other
quite well, which meant our almost I'M
mediate release.
"The sacred hour OF o'clock tea
had struck, and in true British fashion
the colonel. stopping impending bust
ness, sent an orderly 20 get it ready.
lie invited US TO partake. ! must con-
TESS we did not show due appreciation
Of that nice cup Of tea, but, seeing our
chance to escape. asked for a permit 20
90 to Paris and Departed
This shows how strictly is beng en-
forced the rule that any person with
any kind Of "laisSez passer' what
soeycr found in the zone Of the armies
at point Other than the one named
~ the permit will be arrested and tried
as spy, this being very necessary
measure against tho legion Of German.
among us. who inform the enemy OF all
our movements.