New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-27
He and McCutcheon Walk
Into Midst of Ger
man Army.
UNDONE BY BELGIAN
PASSES AND BICYCLES
Ambassador Gerard's Secretary
Describes MisadVenture as
Told by HumoriSt.
Lsy cab;a 70 The Tr,bnns. |

London, Sept. Blooming to Lon
don in charge OF 290 English women
and children, refugees from Berlin,
L. l.. Winslow, secretary to Ambassa-
dor Gerard, brought the first news OF
the status of Irwin Cobb and John 7.
McCutcheon, the American humorist
and the cartoonist, who were lost in
the shuttle of the German advance
through Belgium. Cobb and McCutch-
con, Winslow said, were still lingering
in Aix-la Chapelle, guests Of the Ger
man government"
Probably the two men will continue
to accept German hospitality for some
time, but they seem contented, not
having appealed to Ambassador Gerard
for their release. Winslow gave the
story of Cobb's Paris adventures as
told by the humorist himself.
"McCutcheon and / promenaded out
Of Brussels on sunshiny day to in
spect a few parcels of Belgian real
estate, comprising the field of Water
loo," said Cobb. "Soon we heard firing,
so we hurried toward it by a very
forced march. The calnonading seemed
to elude US playfully, and after walk
ing twelve miles We invested in a
horse and wagon. The wagon was all
right, but the horse had retired from
business several years before. After
hA hnl 81. ,1,,, IL.
thrice ! had a talk with him. He said
McCutcheon, who held the reins, didn't
know enough about driving to drive a
nail, and insisted he would go no fur
Their until we got another coachman.
ave compromised III the noble ami
NAL by purchasing two bicycles which
hal been left in Flanders by the Span
ish invaders few years before.
/ Through the kindness of a Belgian Off
Ger we also invested in two passes,
which, he told US, were good for any
/ performance in the Belgian theatre of
the war. The artillery firing we had
been pursuing all this time suddenly
turned and pursued u, and few mo-
ments later We found ourselves lead
ing our slightly S2avi ed bicycles into
the German army's pleasant midst.
/ Several regiments were assigned to
/ conduct us to the commander in chief,
/ no with splendid courtesy assured us
of Gcrmany's hospitality, provided we
did not happen to be shot as spies in
the mean time.
"The latter suppOsition apLealed to
US the more forcibly when he inspected
| the passes given us by the Belgian
! L.lcer, for he remark. d that this par
ticular variety of pass only could b'
: carried by a Belgian spy. Besides, h
pointed out, our bicycles were OF I
type handed down from father to sol
among Belgian spies. While endeavor
ing to dispel these illusions somebod
stole the aforesaid bicycles. / was s.
grateful for this kind act that | didn'
care what the Germans did to US
McCutcheon, however, kept on maklni
tn eagle scream for us so loudly tina
ultimately we became the Kaiser
guests here in AiX-la-Chapelle withou
being shot once. | still preserve m.
American neutrality and suit of clothe
in which | left Brussels, but I've bough
a new shirt"
Winslow said the conditions in Der
! lin were almost normal. Prices of foOC
\ ere low and several theatres wert
open. The German people believe i'm
plicitly in the justice of heir caus'
"a. in the ultimate success of then
arms. All fear of the Russians getting
| to Berlin is now Nonresident, he led
( despite the knowledge that the Aus
! trian troops were wCrsted in Galicia.
Wi lows journey, which was viS
/ the Hook Of Holland and Harwich, was
rneventful. The English with him
mostly regular residents of Berlin, re
/ ce.ved splendid treatment from thu
! Germans.