The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-11-26
CAUGHT IN ZONE OF FIGHT
EXPERIENCES OF CONFEDERATE
OFFICERS WIDOW.
After Varied Adventures Mrs. keitt
and Daughter Return to South
Carolina Home.

knOWleQSe. tnat mines udu UeeH So"H II
in that territory, and not knowing
whether the ship would be blown up
or not: having a cannon ball fired
across the bow of the ship and then
another to force the stopping of the
ship for examination, were among
the incidents experienced by Mrs.
Laurence NJ. Keitt and her daughter,
Miss Anna keitt, of ST. Matthews, on
their return from Germany, where
they were when the great war broke
out. Mrs. keitt, who is the WIDOW
of the late Col. Laurence NJ. keltt. a
gallant fighter in the war between
the States, is not unaccustomed to
some of the fortunes Of war, but
these and other incidents which oc-
Cured while she and her daughter
were near the fighting in Europe take
precedence, she says, over other ex-
periences.
Mrs. Keitt arrived in St. Matthews
about ten days ago from New York,
where she landed from the Holland
American liner, the New Amsterdam
on which she and her daughter en-
barked at Rotterdam, Holland, ten
days before arriving at New York.
The steamer was piloted from Rotter-
dam through the Strait of Dover and
the English Channel by a British
cruiser, and another British cruiser
followed to render assistance in case
the steamer struck mine or met
with an accident. Later, when the
New Amsterdam was rounding the
southern part of England, cannon
ball sped across the bow and was
very soon followed by another, after
which the commander was quick in
bringing the ship to stop. A Brit
ish warship approached Immediately
and after satisfactory examination,
in which it was found that the ship
was a neutral, she was allowed to
proceed and for ten days she made
her way across the Atlantic through
rough and stormy weather, finally
docking at New York to the great
satisfaction Of Mrs. and Miss keitt,
who already had experienced un-
usual conditions in the war zone.
Spend Summers in Europe.
Mrs. Keitt and Miss Anna keitt
are regular visitors to Europe, haV-
ing spent eight summers there, the
greater portion of which was spent
at Wiesbaden, Germany, and they
we're at that place when the war COM
menced. They left for America dur
ing the last week in May and arrived
in Wiesbaden the next week, and
about the 2nd of August were max
ing preparations to go to Lucerne,
Switzerland, but the great European
confiagration commenced without
warning and all aliens were given
six hours to pack up and leave. Hav-
ing arranged their luggage, landau
was engaged and a start was made
for Homburg, a watering place fif-
teen miles east of Wiesbaden. Eight
times they were halted by military
police and passports were demanded.
Along with these folks was beau
tiful young married lady who had
come to Wiesbaden from Paris to
spend a few days and had made their
acquaintance. Everything being
peaceful at the time, she had only
enough money to last several days.
after which her husband was to join
her in Wiesbaden, before returning
to Paris. When the war commenced,
overnight, as it were. all communl-
cation with other sections was sever
ed and this young lady was placed
in a serious predicament. Tearfully
she explained her situation to Mrs.
Keitt, who insisted that she join
them.
Upon being stopped for the first
time by the military police, passports
were demanded. and they Immediate
realized they had none; not to be
outwitted, however, Mrs. Keitt gave
an exhibition of her resourcefulness
and produced paper OF identification
issued in 1907 to her and her daugh-
ter by the then governor of South
Carolina, the Hon. D. G. Hayward,
when they left this State on journey
to Egypt. Closely the police inspect
ed it and finally handed 1t back with
the admonition to proceed. This op-
Grafton was repeated successfully Sin
times, but when the next stop was
made the matter assumed serious
proportions, for these people had
realized that the previous examiners
were unable to read English and ha"
evidently attached more importance
to the imposing seal on the paper
than ANYTHING else but when for the