The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-10-22
Little Kansas photographer 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 Thlek-Mar. =,
Vicious Adventures Of oes-
aid G. Thompson.
81 6. ALExANpER poWgLL.

AN"NAp p ~ iA1lIc mai W6bElnS an
American army shirt, a pair of British
officers breaches, French puttees, and
seaforth Highlanders helmet, and
carrying camera the size OF parlor
photograph blew into the American
consulate in 0stend.
He amounted that his name was
Donald C. Thompson, photographer,
from Topeka, Kan.s Europe is chocka-
block with war photographers, but
Thompson is the only one have come
across who has seen war and actually
photographed il.
No one but an American could have
accomplished what he has done and
no American but a 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 isNsunfower 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, a certificate of membership
in the Elks, and a letter from Sam
Hughes, Canadian minister of militia,
authorizing him to take pictures OF the
Canadian troops These and his IN
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 oficial by the hand and near.
ly wiring it off, meanwhile inquiring
solicitously after the generals health
and that OF his family
How many languages do you
speak," / asked
Three" said he. English, Ameri-
can and Kansas"
On one occasion he Communicated
a motorcycle standing outside a cafe
and rode 1t 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's
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 to
overtake the Canadian troops.
"Vive Canada" the French would
shout. 'Hurrah for our. brave allies,
and permit him to proceed. He did
not think 1t necessary to inform them
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 for
the ninth time, tried by a military
tribunal; and told he would be shot II
he were 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 aRd saw
him buy a ticket to London. He
dropped of the train, however, al
Amiens.
Shortly after midnight a train OF
fat cars loaded with wounded pulled
into the station. Thompson climbed
on the top OF an American refugee train
standing on the next track and made a
isshlight picture. A panic ensued in
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 aftefward: I. train loaded
with artillery being rushed to the
front pulled into the station Thomp.
son crawled under the tarpauIin GOV.
ering field gun and fell asleep. When
he awoke next morning he was al
Mons
Goes Into Trenches.
A regiment OF Highlanders was pass
ing. He borrowed a helmet and fell
In with them He marched four hours
under a scorching sun and then went
into the trenches with the soldiers
All through that terrible day Thornp
son piled his trade IS the soidiers did
theirs. Men we're shct dead on either
side OF him The British were &c
hard pressed he was disFegarded. "a
he dashed forward and lay down I'm
nediately in the rear 81 sthe Bftlist
guns, He sssd thar the GeEman arr