Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-12-10
COUNT BEROlSTE|N'S DARING feat
wins HIM COVETED IRON CROSS
Young German Officer, Too Fastidious to Wear Dead
Mans Uniform, Visited British Lines Spy in His
Military Clothes Covered by Rancoat and He Es-
capped. .-..'
Come out of it," said an English

Come out of it," said an English
officer.
The English officer was a sports
man, as sportsmen go in this war. He
might have shot the German, but he
gave him IL chance for his life.
If you get to your own lines and
nobody hits you, you can go free,'
said he.
Single Detail Ends Life.
Well, he didn't get half way. But
the Germans say he was only wound
ed and will live, though he is out Of
this war and the next. Both sides
were go astounded to see him running
from the English to the German
trenches that they had fired wildly.
1t doesn't always happen that way.
Just the other day two officers were
walking along the English trenches
in the Calais battle when one drew
through the head. Not word had
been exchanged. A detail wrong in
the uniform had been the Germans
death warrant.
Belief here is that the Germans have
been far more successful in this work
than the English or French have
been. 1t should be remembered that
there is nothing dishonorable in this
sort OF spying. It is permitted by the
rules of war. The same rules permit
the prompt-altnost the invariable--
execution OF the captured spy. He is
a brave man who has taken his
chance and lost. That is all.
Posing as an English Onicer.
The Germans have done so we'll at
this work because SO many of them
speak at least one other language per-
fectly. There are Young Germans
here who could not be told from
young Englishmen in manner, accent
or clothes. There is almost a com
petition between young officers Of this
sort In this dangerous work. 1t was
only the other day that German
officer, wearing an English uniform.
approached a group Of French staff
officers
ANY one here speak English ?" he
demanded
Some one did, Of course. Where
upon he said that his chief wanted to
know what the Frenchmen planned
please tell him. The chief Of that
staff discussed matters with the young
old, whom he found to be singularly
well-inforined chap. The aid said his
chief was disheartened.
He'll hold on, Of course" said he,
III you ask him to. But he thinks
we'd both best clear"
New at the War Game.
SO the Frenchmen cleared, and an
astounded British colonel cleared, too,
his support having failed him. No
doubt there were heated explanations
that night. The Germans say that
during the first weeks Of the war they
mad numerous successes Of. this sort.
Many OF the reserve officers Of the
French had not at that time learned
the game OF war, and the English
were singularlN unsuspicious. That
isn't the case now. 1t was only the
other day that an English officer ask
ed some questions OF the officers Of
another detachment; that sounded
strange to their ears.
What is your proof of IDENTIFY
they asked.
He didn't have any. 1t always hap
pens that way, somehow. He didn't
clothes. When he explained that he
was a sEbarite and carried two coats,
and that his papers We're all in the
other coat, 1t began to look as though
he would not be called on to make
any other explanations. But he per-
sisted-he was even profane about it.;
rumor has 1t that he called superior
in rank 'bally ass"-and so they
led him over to the company they
said was his and investigated.
"If you're lying we'll shoot you Off
lying. And SO the officer was enabled
to send one of those curiously GEN.
sored letters home to his parents, in
which he told the story. He also
proved himself to be in possession of
truly British sense of humor.
Ripping joke, what?". he wrote.
1--WE all. roared about it,"