The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-09-03
STRANDED IN
EUROPE d D { WHEN WHEN
WAR STARTED
FOSTER KREIs TELLS OF HIS. Elk.
PERIENcEs ABROAD.
BANKS CLOSED AND NO CASH
.'--. -FsFNlht wv
Trains on Which the Passengers
Were Riding Were contiscated by
the Government and Used TO
Convey Tr6oPsJto Front. r.

1
Convey Tr6eps'to Front. ~
! Foster Kreis, of Minneapolis, who
Is In town visiting his school cham,
Eugene Little, Is recently home from
France and England, where ne had a
war experience that was anything, but
pleasant. Now that it is only an ex-
lperience one may laugh over it, but
1t was serious enough. while 1t lasted.
! Mr.. KTeis was with touring party
In Paris when war was declared.
I ney were awakened in the night by
hotel porter who brought the; news
that they had just ten minutes to
catch the last train leaving Paris en-
route TO London. Ordinarily the time
between Paris and London, including
the passage of the channel, is seven
hours. Ii took young Kreis and party
twenty-six hours. Twice was their
train stopped by soldiers, the passen.
gers unloaded and the train carried
the soldiers TO Paris. The passengers
were forced to stand about Just where
ever tie seizure happened to be made
until another train came TO pick them
up. Arrived at the dock to cross the
channel they were told the boat
might leave any minute and they
had no chance to obtain food or drink
The boat should have ! left at nine
O'Clock q. m, but It was one o'clock
p. m. before it got away. Everyone
desiring to get aboard was examined
personally. They were searched for
fire arms and had to show their pass
ports. One, by one. they were per-
mitted to board. officers were seek.
ing to prevent any from going away
from France who had no right to
leave. Out of all the hundreds of
Americans and English only eight
people were prevented from leaving
This boat was crowded far beyond its
capacity and the passengers board
ing were told to: do so at their own
risk No attention was paid to bag.
gage, personal belongings or any.
thing else. Everyone supposed they
were taking the, last chance TO get
away and everything was left behind
that could not be carried by person.
chauncey Depew Cool but Careful.
AS Mr. -KreiS and his associates
left the hotel in the hurry and confu
sion they say Chauncey Depew stand
ing on the steps of the hotel, taking
things as cooily as if there were no
cause for hurry. He advised the
Americans to be calm, saying no need
for alarm existed, that all would be
taken. care of in due time What was
Mr.. Kries surprise on reaching Lon
don to find Mr.. Depew about the first
person he met on the streets.
But the trouble was not all over
in London. The first Monday In Aug
ust is a bank holiday. On authority
this holiday was extended to four
10 q 10
Ill Friday following. No one would
cash paper, no matter how good it
might be and those unable to locate
friends or acquaintance were in q
sorry plight. Mr. Kreis was out OF
cash and could obtain none. All day
long he was without food. BY even.
ing he was desperate and strolled
forth to see what the moment might
bring forth. He met a college profess
sor TO whom he stated ais plight and
secured enough cash TO last until the
opening of the banks "t :
Other chapters of misery followed.
Everyone tried TO get the first boat
home. Through a friend Mr. KTeis
secured passage on the st. Louis He
stood in line at the booking office two
days. This boat accommodates ordk
narily between six and seven hundred.
1t left port with over fourteen hun
dred persons aboard. Wealthy Amer
leans, accustomed to the best first
cabins took steerage. Two daySl out
from New York the food supply be-
came exhausted and the water gave
out. Food was not to be had at any
price, except from those who had
brought something aboard with them.
Those who had provisions with them
were most generous, however, and dis.
tributed of their store as far. as it
would 60. .~' 20 ,- ."' rr =
., Getting Something to Eat.
Someone gave us jar OF JAM"
said Mr. Kreis. 81 bought four Slices
Of bread and a couple of spoiled crack.
ers for q half dollar, and we subsisted
on this for a time. There were pIen.
ty of oranges aboard, but the only
to be obtained were Apol-
anaris and ginger ale. - .'gI. -.
People aboard the boat put up with
all manner OF accommodations. II
was an experience never to be forgot.
ten. Many were without a, sign of
baggage and did not have even
change of clothing. One lady was
on the boat clad only in party dress.
People slept on deck, anywhere to get
a few minutes g. repose. Movements
about deck or elsewhere were ham.
pered by the great crowd aboard and
yet this throng deported itself In "a
good humored and really exemplary
manner, treating the inconyenienees
and embaTassments more ms, q huge
joke. # q -, ..n,t g. %, o h9ni5 Er,G4
On the first night QUITO sBtne war
vessels had their search lights uton
the steamer and the boat was fire.
quently spoken to but not stopped
and 1t was o thankful, hnppy crowd
that sighted the sAores OF US. A.pa.
Mr.. Kreis states that the English
made every effort 10 tpre
judice the minds of the Americans
against the Germans md had their
papers filled with articles tending to
incense the mind of the United States
citizen against the Tenton. They told
how Germany had insuited the Unit,
ed States citizens and how travellers
had been mistreated. One headline
told OF German intentions against TIE
United States. One could not handle