Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-09-11
AMERICAN SCRIBE
is ORDERED SHOT
After Being with Germany Army
Two Weeks Newspaper Men
from This Country Escape.
ARE HELD AS PRISONERS
While Told They Are Not Prisoners
They Hear They Are 60 ne
shot ~ They Try 90 Make
Their Escape.

Their Escape.
ROTTERDAM, Sept. fO-The party Of
American correspondents. who accom-
panied the German army for nearly two
weeks. across Belgium and into France.
found themselves safe on Dutch soil today
after being held prisoners by the Germans
for four days under UNUSUAL circum-
stances. The Associated Press CORE
spondent reached Rotterdam late last
night.
For the last week the party had been
under surveillance at AK La Chapeile.
whittier they had been brought on a train
with prisoners from Beaumont Belgium.
The party included Roger Lewis. the A.
ISOLATED Press; Irwin 8. Cobb. the satur-
lay Evening Post and the Philadelphia
Public Ledger; James o'Donneil Bennett
and John T. McCutcheon. the Chicago
Tribune. and Harry Hansen, the Chicago
Daily News.
With them on the trip 10 AK La
Chapelle we're three other correspondents,
Maurice 0erbauld. a Belgian correspond
emit; Lawrence Stein Stevens. an American
artist. formerly Of Detroit. and Victoria
Hennebeard, King Albert's special photog-
rapher.
The party OF five Americans left Brus-
sells on August 20 with special military
passports, and were the only correspond
ents who we're successful in following the
German army.
March with the Army.
The party succeeded In marching along
with the army. some times in sight of
fighting. until Beaumont was reached.
Here the Germans had established tempo
rary headquarters. At Beaumont the cor
respondents were held up by Commandant
Mlttendorfer. whose suspicious against
all newspaper men had been aroused by
a party OF three correspondents picked
up the previous day, who represented
themselves as Americans, although two
OF them were Belgians. The trio were
taken 20 a Beaumont jail. The party in
cluded Gcrbaud. Stevens and Hennebeard
and the negro chauffeur. All were ar
rested for photographlng and travelling
In an automobile which unlawfully car
ried Red Cross flag.
The American party was allowed to
spend the night on the stone floor of a
Belgian school house which had been
converted into a barracks for the Ger
man troops. Thu correspondents were
courteously treated by the soldiers. who,
after the days thirty-mile march. sang.
danced and otherwise entertained them
royalty until midnight The next day the
Americans we're kept waiting in the pub
lie square In the center Of a group which
included Prince August wilhelm. the
third son OF the emperor, and other high
military authorities.
Sentenced 60 Death.
After being repeatedly told that they
were not prisoners the Americans were
locked up with the three other corre-
spondents arrested the day before, Stew
ems had already been sentenced 90 be shot
as an English spy.
Tho Jail was filthy and one side was
stacked with tons OF German high ex-
plosives-a rather uncomfortable situa-
ton. IN view OF the fact that other pris-
oners were constantly lighting cigarettes
under cover OF their straw bedding.
After a short Incarceration. the Amer
leans through the kindness OF a German
lieutenant. we're removed TO a small cafe
adjoining the prison. where later they
were followed by the three other sus-
poets who were the cause Of their deten-
ton.
No Food but Wine,
For two nights they slept on the floor
under a heavy guard and stil told that
they were not prisoners, but. warned that
they would be shot II they moved one
step out Of the house, After they had
given their word OF honor that they
would not attempt to escape their guards
was doubled. No food was supplied the
prisoners. their only sustenanee being a
bottle OF wine.
During their Imprisonment the Ameri-
cans received an alarming visit from an
German officer. who called
them English spies and insisted on giving
convincing demonstrations OF the sharp |
ness OF his sword when he heard English |
spoken.
Finally one night the Americans were |
aken with q hundred French and hum |
ired English prisoners TO a prison train, !
tho destination OF which was unknown. |
They were asked politely enough by the |
officers TO walk alongside the |
prisoners and act as guards At the same
time the officers said In an aside TO the
German guard; Keep your eyes open
on those Americans. II they move or
step from tho ranks shoot them"
shot "A by SAipers.
The train. carrying beside the prison
era. several cars OF wounded German sol
diers. arrived at AK La ChapeIle after
a two days slow journey. All eight OF
the correspondents were packed into a
single second class compartment. without
food or drink. and at the mercy OF Bel
slan Shippers. who frequently fired from
houses as the train passed. The party
arrived at AK La ChapsIle carefully
and were forbidden to leave the
city.
The surveillance OF the military guard
and the police relaxed when the authorl-
ties discovered that the American cOrre-
spondents had In their possession ao-
counts favorable to the. German army.