Putnam patriot., 1914-09-25
BACK FROM EUROPE
Mrs. $. Diamond Returns from Wal
 Zone
Had Trying Experiences and Saw Un-
 describable Sights


 Montreal where she disembarked from the Megantic from Liverpool. She was in the heart of the war belt of Europe where she went to visit rela- tives before war was declared. She says that tongue can not describe the awful sights of the war infested eoan- tries and now that she Is at home her experiences seem like dream. While not showing physically the haFdships she endured Mrs. Diamonds manner denoted that she had been under considerable nervous strain, when seen by PATRIOT representative at her home Tuesday morning. The family were all rejoiced at her safe return.
 Mrs. Diamond sailed for Europe July 7th. She was accompanied by her sister who lives in New York. At that time the war cloud had not risen upon the horizon and the voyage over was uneventful and they reached Brody in Austria safe and sound. Here they were guests of relatives. The first they heard of war was at the end of the second week when the news of mobolization of Russian troops was announced. The townspeople imme. diately began to leave Brody fearing the approach of the Russians. Mrs. Diamond and her sister left for Lem- berg and the following day the Rus. sians entered Brody and burned the town.
 The ladies remained in Bemberg four weeks before they could get out. Prices were way up for food. Bread was selling at 54 cents loaf; butter al Sl pound, cheap cuts of meat at 70 cents pound, milk at IS cents quart. Potatoes were considered luxury. There were plenty in the fields but the men had all gone to the front leaving only women and children tu dig them.
 Mrs. Diamond wrote to the Ameri- can consul at Vienna relative to leav- ing the country and he said that all possible would be done for American citizens. Soon the sound of artillery was heard growing nearer and nearer. Towards the end of the fourth week all stores were closed, money removed from the bank and business came to a standstill while the inhabitants pre- pared to fl 9.
 Mrs. Diamond and her sister pre- pared to leave the next morning. Trunks or baggage were not allowed carried on the treins as every bit of available space was wanted for pas sengers. The ladies went to the sta ton in time for the train scheduled to leave at 10 o'clock in the morning. There they found a crowd of human beings pushing and trampllng upon one another. Women were seen with small children slung upon their backs in sheets with loaf of bread and q bottle of water Trainload after train load of wounded soldiers were iarriv- ing. Mutilated and dying men were everywhere. The scene was horrl- ble one.
 It was nearly 10 o'clock at night be- fore the train for Vienna came in and there was grand stampede. It was a case of the survival of the fittest and women and children that went down in the crowd were trampled upon and many killed and wounded. Mrs. Dia. mond and her sister were among those to get aboard. The passengers were packed in so close as to almost sufio- cate. Mrs. Diamond and her sister were crowded into toilet and here they stood for 4S hours unable to sit down or hardly to move so close were the passengers packed in.
 No food was to be had but at the stations along the route water could be bought for five cents a glass. No lights were lighted at night and the train erept slowly along in the dark ness preceded by an engine and some emptv cars as an advance guard to make sure that the tracks were not torn up or bridges down. The wound ed received the first consideration and anywhere along the line where wound- ed were found they were taken aboard and some of the passengers had Ito get off and wait for the next train to make room for them. Children crying, also some of their elders, the groans Of the wounded and the uncomfortable posi- tion that caused an undescribable weariness made the journey seem as of weeks rather than days duration.
 Tpon arrival at Vienna, all but pros- tratea with weariness, the condition gan immediately to improve. The Russians occupied Lemoerg the day after these ladies left. At the lmpen- al hotel they were met by committee on the lookout for Americans. They were asked if they had money and an swering in the negative money ana tickets were provided. As soon as possible train was taken for Berlin where another committee saw 10 tneif needs and from here they went to Rot terdam. thence 10 London and Liver pool. Soldiers everywhere: young fel- laws minus an arm or a leg or Wlth head bandaged were a common sight. The poor people starving. The httie children crying from hunger. "ll was terrible. terrible, said Mrs. Diamond, .I can't begin 10 teil you"