The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-24
Were Caught In Midst Of War Ex-
element In Germany but
Managed to Escape
Safely.
TREATED CONTINUOUSLY
Tell Of Their Treatment BY German
soidiers Who Helped Them
Get Out Of the
Country.

fUnited Press Leased Wire 6ervtosJ
LONDON, Aug. 24-Ths following
story Of the fight Of three American
girls from the German war zone was
received by the London buresu OF the
United Press today In delayed letter
from Karl n. Won Wiegand, Berlin
correspondent Of the United Press:
IBy Karl n. Won Wiegand, United
Press STAFF Correspondent
Three American g1rls-Mfsses Mar
ion Park and Katherine Lorn OF Bos-
ton and Miss Ida LAngdon Of Nmira,
N. went through the thick OF the
German war zone Just % tho father
land was striking its firSt blow
through Belgian. Their stories as TOLD
me on the train enroute to Rotter-
dam were full of praise for the cour-
tesy of German omcialdom, civil and
military, in the first trying days OF
the war.
I'VE wers IN the Bavarian Alps
when We learned war was immin emit, "
said Miss Park. I'VE started for Lon
don via Cologne at once. When We
reached Cologne It was apparent that
war was only a matter Of hours
Everywhere the greatest activity was
apparent and the population was fev-
erish with excitement. From Cologne
we reached the little village Of Dol
hahn. on the Belgian frontier between
verviers and Ak La Chapel.
THE mobilization orders came ut
that hour and all trains were turned
over to the military. We had to dis
embark. There was no hotel at Dol
hahn so we got peasant who had
little home in the town to take us In.
1.-THE next morning we walked down
the road to the railway junction and
met what seemed to Us to be the en-
tire German army advancing on Bel
GUM. Throughout tho entire day
thousands of men swung through the
little village. That niGht We began
to hear the roar Of cannons as the
Germans opened their attack on
Liege. The roar continued all through
the highland almost without inter-
ruption during the next three days.
When there was a cessation the very
stiffness after such q din, was indie
scribably impressive.
I'VE felt We we're in the very path
OF the war. Lege was only few
miles distant. We were in touch with
soldiers constantly. On the very arst
day we were In DoIhain they assured
us we would not be delayed.
1--WE are only marching through
Belgium one strapping big German
told me.
ION the second day We saw the full
horrors Of war with the bringing
through Dolhain OF the first wounded.
They were carried from the front IN
autos. Meanwhile the village was left
with only scant hundred soldiers,
all the remainder being ordered to
the fighting line. That same day far
up in the sky we saw French aero
plane. The guard in Dolhain signal
ed the machine and not receiving q
return opened fire on It. The mono
plane was far above the range and
SO far as we could see was uninjured
by the hundreds OF bullets fred al
1t. This was the only aerial craft we
saw, but German soldiers told me
later that several had been maneu
vering overhead and that their shoot
ing had brought one down.
with the arrival of the wounded
we began to hear terrible stories o.
cruelty OF the Belgian peasants tt
wounded and helpless Germans. We
saw a captain, two other officers ant
fifteen men brought in who said the!
were sleeping in a house when they
were suddenly attacked by the vii
layers. The peasants forced their way
into the house and without rousint
the soldiers, attempted to slaughte
all as they slept. These same wound
ed and others told us horrible storie:
of cruelties to German wounded a
the hands Of Belgians to whom the!
were left for treatment.
From what we saw ourselves ANT
our talk with the German wounded
we are convinced there Is much more
truth in the German charges OF Bel
gian inhumanity and violation o
rules Of civilized warfare than Belgian
charges against the kaiser's troops
Possibly this Belgian or ielty brough
terrible retribution by German sol
Q1erS. Inc peasants III DolSe Wer'
passive and sullen. Others were furi
Gus against the Germans.
"As the roar OF cannon continued
and a constant stream Of German
troops poured through Dolhain, W.
began to get uneasy. Food was be
coming scarce. We went to the Ger
man frontier but were refused per
Dicsiop m CROSS bacl on German Soi
and then came back to the village o
Carried. The German captain com
mandfng the guard there was kind
ness itself. He tried to do everythin,