Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-15
Foe Learns of Trick. and Removes
All Birds from Save Stream
One Day.
THOUGHT THE CITY EVACUATED
King Peters Timoka Division Cele-
brates with Banquet.
THEN ARRIVES FOXY ENEMY
Force of Seventeen Thousand Men
Overwhelmed, Most OF Them
Being Taken Pris-


Correspondence of the Associated prcssD
MITROViTZ, Croatia, Nov. lS.-Mitro-
vitz Is sort OF frontier point OF the
Balkans. II was founded by the Romans
and called Smvrum. for no good reason.
II has wide front on the Save river aud
many ducks All this leads to a strange
chapter In the operations against the
Servian army and has to do with the end
of the Serb timok division OF l7OO0 men.
Carrier pigeons have played q prominent
part I'm many wars Many n beleagured
city has asked for relief through them,
But the duck cannot be said heretofore
to have served other military purposes
than to gladden. the stomach of some
foraging soldier. In the Balkans, how
ever, they have strange ideas, It is said.
So when Servian spies at Austrian Nitro
vitz needed a means that would convey
certain military information OF import
ance to the troops in Servian Mitrovltz,
right across the broad and deep Save
they decided to employ ducks.
Ferry Destroyed.
The ferry across the river had been
destroyed. The banks OF the river were
carefully patrolled and watched by the
Austro-Hungsrians. and how to get in
formation to the other side was problem
over which the spies at Austrian Nitro
vitz ponderad long. The only creature
that could show itself on the river was a
duck. But ducks have n habit OF re-
naming near their habitat and for this
reason were not suited to the corrying
OF messages.
However, the Servians needed informa-
ton on the strength OF the Austro- Hun
garian force in Austrian Mitrovitz, and
since this force Kept moving up and down
the river-in and out OF the city--it was
desirable 10 have this Information every
day. SO the spies decided on an ingen-
ious scheme. Each duck TO be seen on
the river represented company Of Aus
tro-Hungarian troops. when the ducks
were east OF the ferry II meant that the
decrease or increase In number OF Austro-
Hungarians At Mltrovitz was due to the
arrival OF troops from. or departure TO
the east. The same applied to ducks seen
west of the ferry
Twenty-Five Ducks Seen.
Thus, II on a certain day twenty-five
ducks were seen west of the ferry by
the Servian observers. but only fourteen
in the same spot on the following day Il
meant that eight companies had marched
out or Mitrovitz In westerly direction.
Departures were announced In the morn
ing and arrivals in the afternoon. this
arrangement permitting an accurate sys-
tenn OF field intelligence.
In some manner the Austro- -Hungariana
learned of the mission OF the ducks and
bought up every one they could find.
Some of the officers favored the arrest
OF those Serbs. who violently protested
against the transfer OF ownership, but
the officer In command thought this
would ruin his plans
Thereafter the ducks continued 10 enjoy
their swim on the river. But this time
| the Austrians determined the number of
birds that were to be given this privi-
lege. 1t is asserted here that the number
OF ducks on the water was woefully out
OF keeping with the number of Austro-
Hungarian soldiers In Austrian Mltrovitz
and that in this manner the Servlan army
was often deceived.
No Birds Appear.
But one day no ducks appeared on the
Save. The Austro-Hungarian troops had
evacuated MltrovttZ that night, some
moving up and some down the r,Sr 1t
was for some such signal that the COM
mander Of the Timok division had been
waiting.
That evening he took his force across
the river, occupied some territory five
lSilometers west OF Mitrovitz and was
banqueted that night by the Austrian
Serbs.
| Toward morning In the still gray dawn
when mans vitality is lowest as the sa-
wants assert, and when banqueters are
not supposed to be in the best trim for
fighting. the AustrO-Hungarian troops de-
scended upon the Timok division and fin
ished the career OF one Of Servia's most
famous military organizations, killing
many leading away some 1900 captives
and taking much loot
Such Is the history of the battle Nit
rovitz on September T. Even the Serbs
here smile when they think It, There
is an order now that no ducks may be
permitted TO swim on tn sav.