The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-08-28
BOUGHT AUTO FOR ESCAPE But
GERMANS STOLE THE CHAUFFEUR

Kilgallen, a Chicago manufacturer,
whose daughter married Count de
Beaufort and divorced him after a
year of turbulence, is back from Eu-
rope full of enthusiasm for German
hospitality, but with a disappointing
tale of French lack of courtesy to-
ward Americans.
Mr.. Kilgallen expressed the belief
that when all the facts leading to the
strife are revealed criticism for the
kaiser will vanish.
The Chicagoan and his daughter,
Miss Irma, left Chicago on July 1 for
an extended tour of Europe. His trip
was terminated prematurely by the
war.
Buys an Automobile.
eve visited England, Paris and
len Germany" Mr.. Kilgallen said.
eve were in Carlsbad when war was
declared. On the morning of Aug. 3
my daughter and I decided to get be-
yond the line of hostilities and the
only way to accomplish the trick was
to purchase an automobile. 1 paid
the chauffeur $500 for his machine,
and promised to present it to him as
soon as we crossed into Switzerland.
1--WE crossed just west of Alsace,
and about six miles out of Munich
the German infantry confiscated the
machine and recruited the chauffeur.
But the Chauffeur Apologies.
"But they were very apologize
about it; the chauffeur was willing, in
fact anxious to enlist, and they noted
the number of the machine and told
US to send the bill to the kaiser. The
soldiers told US that six miles distant,
at about 2 o'clock the next morning,
the German artillery would arrive and
help US on our way.
1.-THE artillery arrived before the
appointed time and the officers and
common soldiers alike were the per-
lection of Aourtesy the instant they
learned our identity as Americans. We
rode on caissons for perhaps 100 miles
in the direction of Belgium.
Sleep in Farm House.
"When they arrived at their des-
tination we found good food and a
good bed in a German farm house.
The next morning German peasant
hauled us to Zurich, Switzerland.
FINALLY we got into Paris and then
to Havre, where we embarked on the
France. The French treated US
and all Americans shamefully. They
refused to honor our letters of credit
or checks, refused to entertain us at
any of their clubs or lodge halls, and
refused to give US anything to eat.
AT Havre English soldiers who
came to help France were treated dis
courteously. While we were arguing
with the manager of the Havre
branch of the Credit Lyonnaise,
group of English soldiers who had
lust arrived came in to get their SOW
ereigns cashed.
Trouble at French Bank.
every Englishman had one SOW
,reign. They all wanted to get
glass Of beer, but they couldn't be-
cause the inn keepers of Havre re-
fused their English money. The first
man up passed his sovereign over the
counter and the cashier deducted a
france, or about 20 cents, for making
the change. The soldier protested.
The French banker laughed at him
and advised him to get away from
the window, that he, was blocking the
line. Then the Englishman requested
the return of his sovereign. But the
French banker refused.
''The Kilgallen Guards
*tThen Tommy Atkins lost his tenn
per and shouted, Hand over that SOW:
ereign or I'll blow your bloody head
Say, that made a hit with me. The
soldier got his money back. whis-
pered to one of his comrades that If
they would meet me outside l would
exchange their money at face value.
had plenty of money. was only
trying out this banker for the sake
of the others. Well, sir, those soldiers
retreated to a nearby inn with me.
We had dinner together and became
the best of pals. They dubbed them
selves the 'Kilgallen guards and from
then on gave Americans every assist
ance in their power"