Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-27

soldiers investigating our cars and re-
ceiving the passage certificate from
the engineer. Every bridge was
guarded and before each was a red
flag to prevent passage until the train
had been inspected 1t was in Crefelt
but a few miles south of the Dutch
frontier that an incident occurred
which chilled the heart of every per-
son on board.
The train had been in the station but
few moments when someone said,
They've arrested a spy" This was
apparently the case for walking down
the platform toward the stairs was a
tall, black haired man, wearing a tan
raincoat and carrying suit case. He
was escorted by four German soldiers.
His face was cold as steel and he ap-
peared entirely undisturbed at his
capture. As they passed down the
steps he raised his hand to lift his hat.
apparently tc cool his head. This was
the only action on his part that we
could see, and yet but second later
from the crowd below arose shout
first of hate and then of fear. Up the
steps rushed civilians looking back
over their shoulders as though they
feared the explosion of a bomb. Three
rifle shots were heard and up the
stairs ran the guard in complete dis
order. The man lad escaped, and we
waited expecting any moment the ex-
plosion. of the bomb which we feared
he must have had. Every exit !;
the station was guaraeu and the SOL
diers had regained their self control.
The only officials who had remained
calm throughout the entire perform
ance were the trainmen, and We start
ed slowly to leavef the station. The
last that could be seen by the passen-
gers was the market place below,
filled with crowd of angry people,
surging forward in one direction, evil
IDENTIFY in pursuit of the clever cap
tive.
Women Examined.
The rest of the trip was made in un-
eventful silence as far as Cleyes, near
the German frontier where we were
Is minutes too late for the last electric
car to carry us into Holland. So there
the hotels were filled for the nigh:
with anxious tourists, all of whom
feared that the morning might bring
orders to close the frontier against all
nationalities. But an early morning
car carried a large number to the
German customs officials on the bor-
der. Word had been received by
them in advance that a woman Rus
sian spy was travelling on our car so
that all the women were subjected to
a close examination. One of the
women in our party gave up a per-
sonal letter which was found in her
bag and over which the German maids
puzzled with suspicion. The baggage
examination was the most careful
that had been made on the continent
and anyone who carried kodak was
Immediately suspected and several, as
I'VE later heard, were arrested. On the
Holland side, the examination would
have been repeated had not we pre-
tended to have tickets through to
London.
At Nymegen we waited six hours
for the first train to Rotterdam. We
were, believe. the last to change Ger
man into Dutch money. For 20 min
utes after the exchange had been
made, the hotels received telephone
instructions from their bankers to re-
fuse all foreign money. even English
gold. No bank in the Nymegen would
recognize travellers checks, and Eng
lish sovereigns for the time were
worth no more than tin. Holland had
begun to mobilize, all stations were
under military control, and the sym
pathy of every traveller went out to
this little country rising up to protect
ITSELF while at any moment the dykes
might be shattered by the lombard
ment of a hostile fleet.
From Rotterdam we Travelled on an
overcrowded steamer train to the
Hook where was waiting a ship which
had gradually filled during the day
with leftovers from the night before,
and others who had hired automobiles
to take them to the port at an early
hour. We were forced to carry our
own baggage and to rush as far
toward the front of the crowd as pos
sible in order to board the ship at all,
as 200 people were left behind.
Saw War Vessels.
One mine had been placed at the en-
trance to the harbor but this was marked
by tug boat while our ship steamed
out at half speed. One hundred and
forty British vessels were reported
in the North Sea but none were passed
by us until we reached the harbor at
Harwich. where was a line OF British
dreadnaughts, cruisers, transports and
torpedo boat destroyers, every deck
cleared. every gun pointing outward and
man at each.
England had seemed the haven Of re-
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