The Elbert County tribune., 1914-09-11
Little Kansas Photographed Is
Arrested Eleven Times, but
Keeps on Swapping
FOOLS FRENCH AND GERMANS
Makes Pictures In Trenches During
the Desperate Battle at Mons, With
Bullets Falling Thick-Mar-
vcIous Adventures of Don
aid C. Thompson.
ey z. ALEXANDER poweLL.

Antwerp--A little man wearing an
American army shirt. a pair OF British
officers brooches, French pu.tees, and
4 Seaforth Highiander',s helmet. and
carrying camera the size of parlor
phonograph blew into the American
consuiate Ia Ostend
He announced that his name was
Donald C. Thompson. photographer,
from Topeka. Kan Europe is chocka-
block with war photographers, but
Thompson ia the only one have come
across vito a,aB seen war and actually
photographed 1t
Mo one hut an American could have
accomplished what he has done and
no American but Kansan
The little man is built like Harry
Lauder. He is hard as nails, tough as
rrwhide. and his face Is tanned to the
color OF well-smoked meerschauni.
tiis face Is perpetually wreathed in
what he calls his 'suniiower smile"
Arrived on Tramp Steamer.
Thompson reached Europe on a
tramp steamer with an oyercoat,
toothbrush. two clean handkerchiefs,
made He expected TO have some OF
tbcm smashed. he explained, so he
brought along three as matter of
precsution.
Ills papers consist OF an American
passport. a certificate of membership
IN the ElKs. and q letter from Sam
Hughes. Canadian minister OF militia
authorizing him to take pictures of the
Canadian troops. These and his un-
mitigated nerve have taken him where
no other civilian has been.
Arreeted Nine Times.
Thompson made nine attempts to
get from Paris to the 'front.' was ar
rested nine times. and spent nine
nights In prison. Each time he was
faieu before military tribunal
Utterly Ignoring subordinate officers,
he would demand to see the officer
commanding. He would grasp the as
touished Official by the hand and near
~ wiring It of. meanwhile inquiring
soiicitously after the generals health
and that Of his family.
How many languages do you
speak?" ] asked.
Three said he. English, Ameri-
can aud Kansas"
On one occasion he Communicated
a motorcycle standing outside cafe
and rode II until the gasoline gave out
On another occasion he explained to
french officer who arrested him that
he was In search of his wife and
daughter. who were dying somewhere
ON the Belgian frontier. The officer
was SO affected by the pathos of the
story that he wept on Thompson's
aeck and sent him forward in Red
Cross automobile. Whenever he was
stopped by patrols he would flourish
his letter from the Canadian minister
Of militia and say he was trying to
overtake the Canadian troops.
Vive Canada" the French would
shout; 1Hurrah for our brave allies"
and permit him to proceed. He did
not think II necessary to inform them
that the nearest Canadian troops were
at (name of the place censored).
Threatened With Death.
When he was within the sound OF
the German guns he was arrested for
the ninth time. tried by military
tribunal. and told he would be shot If
ne were not out of France in "a hours.
fie was sent back to Paris in motor
guarded by two gendarmes. who ac-
companied him to the station and saw
him buy ticket to London. He
dropped off the train. however, at
hmiens ~
Shortly after midnight a train of
Dat cars loaded with wounded pulled
into the a'ation. Thompson climbed
on thotop ofan American refugee train
standing on the next track and made q
dashiight picture panic ensued in
the station. as everyone thought Ger
man bomb had exploded.
Thompson was pulled down and
eoughly handled. but the British SOL
diers interfered and said he belonged
. TO their regiment. 30 he was released.
Shortly afterwards train loaded
with artillery being rushed to the
front pulled into the station. Thomp-
son crawled under the tarpaulin COW
ering a field gun and fell asleep. When
he awoke next morning he was at
Mons.
Goes Into Trenches.
regiment Of Highlanders was pass
Ing He borrowed a helmet and fell
In with them. He marched four hours
under n scorching sun and then went
into the trenches with the soldiers.
All through that terrible day Thomp-
son piled his trade as the soldiers did
theirs. Men were shot dead on either
side OF him. The British were so
hard pressed he was disregarded, so
ne dashed forward and lay down I'M
mediately fn the rear OF the British
gums He said that the German fire