The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-09-18
Little Kansas Photographer Is
Arrested Eleven Times, but
Keeps on Swapping"
FOOLS FRENCH AND GERMANS
Makes Pictures In Trenches During
tho Desperate Battle at Mons, With
Bullets Failing ThIck-Mar-
Velous Adventures Of Dom
aid c. Thompson.
BY E. ALEXANDER POWELL.

omcers Dreeches, French putteeS, and
q Seaforth Hlghlander's helmet, and
carrying a camera the size OF a 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 1t.
No one but an American could have
accomplished what he has done and
no 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 a well-smoked meerschaum.
His face is perpetually wreathed in
what he calls his "sunhower smile"
Arrived on Tramp Steamer.
Thompson reached Europe on
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 a 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
ly wiring 1t off, meanwhile inquiring
solicitously after the generals health
and that OF his family.
How many languages do you
speakf" l asked.
Three" said he. English, Amerl-
can and Kansas"
On one occasion he Communicated
a motorcycle standing outside a 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 we're dying somewhere
on the Belgian frontier The officer
was so affected by the pathos OF the
story that he wept on Thompsons
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 II 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 motor
guarded by two gendarmes, who ac-
companied him to the station and saw
} him buy a ticket to London. He
dropped of the train, however, at
Amiens.
Shortly after midnight train OF
fiat 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
flashlight picture. panic ensued In
the station, as everyone thought Ger.
man bomb had exploded.
Thompson was pulled down and
roughly handled, but the British sol
oilers 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 and fell asleep. When
he awoke next morning he was al
Mons.
Goes Into Trenches.
A regiment Of Highlanders was pass
ing. He borrowed helmet and fell
In with them. He marched four hours
under scorching sun and then wen
into the trenches with the soldiers.
All through that terrible day Thomp
son piled his trade as the soldiers die
theirs. Men we're shot dead on either
side Of him The British were sc
hard pressed he was dlsregarded, So
he dashed forward and lay down i'm
mediately in the rear Of the British
guns. He said that the German FIRE