Evening star., 1914-10-12
GETS OUT OF GERMANY
ON A FALSE PASSPORT
Method Adopted by Young English
man Described in Letter to
F. E. Buckland.

F. e. Buckland, who with Mrs. Buck
land was in Hamburg last August dur
ing the early days Of the European
conflict, as a member Of the staff OF
the American consulate, became ac-
quainted with a young Englishman who
intrusted Mr.. Buckland with the task
Of letting his family in England know
that he was safe. but held prisoner by
the Germans in Hamburg.
When he reached Rotterdam Mr..
Buckland sent dispatch to the young
mans father, in Blackpool. England. He
had scarcely returned to his home. at
36 @ street, in Washington, when he re-
ceived a letter from the young man
stat ng that he had managed to escape
to England and was with his family
before Mr.. Buckland's dispatch
that he had escaped from Hamburg with
false passport. His journey to Rotter-
dam consumed thirty eight hours.
Mr.. Buckland concludes that as the
journey from Hamburg to Rotterdam
usually takes seven or eight hours. the
young English refugee must have ex-
perienced considerable difficulty. His
letter is as follows:
Contents of Letter.
"I trust ere this letter reaches its
destination you will have arrived safely
at home in your land of the Stars and
Stripes and that the last lap Of your
wanderings (Rotterdam to the states)
has been pleasant and enjoyable.
Very many thanks. in which my
father joins, for the letter from Rotter-
dam on the 9Th instant, and which came
to hand on the 11th. ! replied the same
day to Rotterdam and asked for re-
ply Gust word or two), so that l
should know whether you received the
communication before sailing for home.
Apparently you did not receive it. and
hence the reason of my writing this let
ter to you.
"And now I suppose you will be Won
dering how I managed to escape from
Germany and to be safely home at the
time my father received your letter:
The risk I took to accomplish my end
was of the gravest character. and
doubtless in case of failure l would
have been shot for the deception I
played on the authorities. However. as
before embarking on it I had reckoned
the cost, l guess I would not have
squealed had the project turned out un-
l trust 1 Will not go down
in your estimation for playing an un-
mans had, in the first place. unjustly
kept me a prisoner and intended to do
so until the war was over. AS you
know, I was ready to sail for home
twelve hours before war was declared
with my country, and taking this into
I considered any means
justifiable in getting away.
First Efforts Fail.
IT. first of all, through influential
friends in Hamburg. tried to obtain a
special permit to leave the country. and
when that failed. the last day Of Au-
gust, 1 decided to take the matter into
my own hands.
September I left Hamburg with a
false passport, and although I had
many narrow escapes, my story was SO
perfect, and l carried the whole scheme
out SO boldly-having, of course. pre-
pared for any. and every emergency
that 1 came safely through and arrived
at Rotterdam after an exceedingly
pleasant journey of thirty eight hours.
I crossed the North sea by the steam
ship Dresden on the 4th to Harwich,
and completed my journey on the fol-
lowing day.
Accept my kindest regards and
wishes for yourself and Mrs. Buckland,
and I trust some time in the near fu-
ture we shall have the pleasure Of
again"