The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-10
Five American Newspaper Cor
respondents Arrested
After Following the German
Army Two Weeks.
ALL ARE THROWN INTO PRISON
Spend Night In Jail Piled High
With Explosives.
Any Attempt to Escape Was
Threatened With Death.


Threatened With Death.
Rotterdam. Sept. 10.-The party Of
American correspondents who accom-
panied the German, army for nearly
two weeks across Belgium. and into
France. found themselves safe on
Dutch soil today after being held pris-
oners by the Germans for four days.
under unusual circumstances. The As
ISOLATED Press correspondent reached
Rotterdam late last night.
For the past week the party had been
under surveillance at Aix-La Chapelle.
whittier they had been brought on
train with prisoners from Beaumont,
Belgium. The party included Roger
Lewis, the Associated Press; Irving
8. Cobb. the Saturday Evening POST
and the Philadelphia Public Ledger;
James O'Donnell Bennett and John T.
McCutcheon, the Chicago Tribune. and
Harry Hansen, the Chicago Daily
News. z
with them on the trip to AK LIE
Chapelle were three other correspond
ents, Maurice Gerbauld, a Belgian cor
respondent: Lawrence Stein Stevens,
an American artist. formerly of De-
troit. and Victoria Hennebeard, King
Albert's special photographer.
The party of five Americans LETT
Brussels on August % with special mil
itary passes and were the only cor
respondents who were successful in
following the German army. The party
proceeded by carriage to Nivelles.
where the sound of cannon SO fright
ened the carriage driver that he re-
turned to Brussels. leaving the corre-
spondents to continue on foot.
The party succeeded in marching
along with the army sometimes in
sight of fighting, until Beaumont was
reached. Here the Germans had es-
tablished temporary headquarters.
At Beaumont the correspondents were
held up by Commandant Mittendor-
newspaper men had been aroused by
1 party of three correspondents,
picked up the previous day, who rep
resented themselves as Americans. al
though two Of them were Belgians
The trio were taken to- a BEAUMONT
Jail. 800
ems and Hennebeard. and the negro
chauffeur. All were arrested for pho
tographing and travelling in an auto
mobile which unlawfully carried a
red cross flag.
Slept in q Sch0olhOuse.
The American party was allowed to
spend the night on the stone floor OF
q Belgian schoolho. Sc, which had
OeGn converted lIllO VAIL ShC AOA 49,
German troops. The correspondents
wer- courteously treated by the sol
diers, who after the days thirty mile
march, sang, danced and otherwise
entertained them royalty until mid
night. The next day the Americans
were kept waiting in the public
square in the center of group which
included Prince August Wilhelm. third
Son of the emperor, and other h1gh
military authorities. After being told
that they were not prisoners the
Americans were locked up with the
three other correspondents arrested
the day before. stevens had already
1ish spy.
The Jail was filthy, harboring large
number of French prisoners taken In
the skirmish south of Beaumont. one
side Of the Jail was stacked with tons
Of German high explOsives-a ratner
uncomfortable situation in view OF the
fact that the French prisoners were
constantly lighting surreptitiOusly CT
garettes. Under cover OF their stra"
bedding.
After a short Incarceration, the Amer
leans. throug' the kindness of "a Ger
man lieutenant. were remover TO
small cafe adjoining the prison. where
later they were followed by tine three
other suspects. who. were the cause OF
their 0etcnllOn. lWO AAi6h eAASS
slept on the floor under a heavy guard
and still told that they were not prison
ers. but warned that they would be
shot il they moved one step outside OF
tho house.
Guard Is Doubled.
After they had given their word OF
honor that they would not attempt to
escape. their guard was doubled. NO
food was supplied the prisoners. their
only sustenance being bottle OF wine
from the chateau of Prince Chimay.
which was taken ny the Germans. The
bottle was brought to them by petty
officer. 80 a-s
During their imprisonment the Amer
leans received an alarming visit from
an intoxicated German officer. VINO
called them English spies and insisted
upon giving convincing demonstrations
of the sharpness of his sword when ne
heard English spoken.
The officer cleverly remarked to the
German guard:
"Ha. they have betrayed themselves:
they call themselves American. but
they speak English"
At Beaumont the correspondent saw
hundreds Of French and English prison.
ers brought in from the direction or
Maubeuge.
All were we'll treated by the Ger.
mans. Finally one night the Ameri-
cans were taken with 100 French and
100 English prisoners to a prison train.
the destination of which was unknown.
They were asked politely enough by
the German officers to walk alongside
the prisoners and act as guards. At
the same time the officers said in an
aside to the German guard:
Keep your eyes open on those
Americans. If they move OF step from
the rank. shoot them"
The train. carrying besides the pris-
oncrs several cars of wounded German
soldiers, arrived at AK La Chapelle
after two days slow journey. All