El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-11
ARTIST FACED
DEATH assay
American Underwent Ter
rifying Experience at the
Hands of Crazy German.

Rotterdam. Holland. Sept lit
was a terrible experience that Arthur
Stein Stevens. an American artist, un-
derwent at the hands Of a demented
German lieuteant, when he was SEN
fenced to be shot to death as a Brit
ish spy. The story was related by
American correspondents who have
reached Dutch soil
Stevens left Brussels August "A IN
an automobile with king AlDeEls pAO-
tographer, Victor Hennebeard, and
Belgian correspondent, with the lnIen-
llOn OF making some sketches on the
battlefield. Unknown TO stevens the
Belgian correspondent carried cam
era and the Red Cross insignia, IN
express violation to the rules OF war.
Al LaneIfe, the southeast OF CnaILe-
Iol, they met Belgian peasants IleeinB
from the fighting at Loobes- mere
stevens was arrested by German
lieutenant and stripped OF an Amerl-
can flag and all his possessions, save
a fraternity pin. He was placed
roughly in a baggage wagon between
two German guards and taken TO the
gendarmerie on the outskirts OF the
town.
Prodded With Gun.
The lieutenant prOdoed him with
gun and at the same time informed
him that if he stepped a foot in any
man soldiers significantly tapped
their fOreheads indicating that the Of
dcer was not in his right mind
At dusk the American artist was
llaced in a vile inner cell where he
vas confined for an hour He was
then taken TO an outer room, court
martialed and sentenced 10 die at
o'clock the next morning. be was led
into the courtyard where he was
shown eight soldiers who would carry
out his execution
When he expostulated he was struck
by the lieutenant and showed into the
prison with his hands bound behind
him and seated in camp chair, with
two guards. His eight prospective
eXecutiOners stepped between him and
the door and another guard stretched
himself in front of the doorway.
Plan to Escape Frustrated.
Determining on a plan Of escape,
Stevens wriggled his hands free from
the rope which bound him and took
off his shoes He decided TO overturn
the lamp and. in the excitement. run
into the orchard behind the building.
At this point a Prussian officer en-
tered and sat down TO read a paper
under the dim lamp, his knees touch
ing Stevens.
Resigned TO death. tie American
fell asleep, only to be awakened by
the CLEAN of searchlight. Fingers
OF light fell upon two soldiers with
pick and shovel breaking ground in
the courtyard for his grave
At 5:55 o'clock in the morning the
eight guards in the room strapped on
their cartridge belts and loaded their
guns Stevens was ordered to fall
in Suddenly the plans were changed.
and Instead OF going 10 his death
Stevens was taken before Gen. Won
Arnim at the Chateau De Casteau.
After being forced TO march for two
days with the Germans Stevens was
found by the American correspondents
at Beaumont where for two nights
ne slept in a small cell packed with
French prisoners
stevens saw the battlefield south Of
LoDbes six hours after the engage
ment when the French were driven
out OF the town up the slope into the
wood The ground was covered with
french dead; the city was entirely de-
stroyed; the fields were massed with
dead horses and cattle field guns and
musical instruments in indescribable
confusion