The river press., 1914-12-23
Of MANS LIFE
WARR|NG EUROPE
Incidents From Varied
Sources Throw Side Lights
on Scenes of Strife.

height over Lake Constance. firing tor.
pedoes at targets on RATS in the lake
below. The results Of this practice are
such that the Germans are said to have
decided to supply the airships under
construction with torpedo apparatus.
These airships will be ready within
few months to cooperate in the North
sea.
Soldier Had to Kill Girl "Sniper."
II do not find that the German sol.
diers are savages," says the CORE
spondent of the Chicago Daily News.
ION the contrary, have seen them
searching the fields before Antwerp
for Belgian wounded who had lain out
,, all day and all night. have seen
them gathering up these victims Of war
and transporting them to hospitals
with all tenderness and sympathy. 1t
seemed to me that they dealt more ten
derly with wounded Belgians than
with their own wounded.
II found only one German who had
done an act that he deeply deplored.
He was young fellow who had been
employed in Berlin drapery shop
At Wise Immediately after he had en-.
tered Belgium and before he had had
an opportunity to kill any one in battle
beautiful girl rushed into the street
and began to fire into the German
ranks with an automatic pistol,
IAN officer detached squad to deal
with the girl. ordering that she be kill.
ed. The Berlin man, followed by his
comrades, chased the girl into house,
thrust his bayonet through her body
and pinned her against a wall. God!
How shivered when did it, he said
But l am soldier, and could do
nothing but obey"
Rabbi Killed Holding Crucifx.
News has reached the Jewish World
| OF London of the manner In which the
chief rabbi Of Lyons, France. was kill.
ed on the battlefield. He was in the
midst Of the fighting, attending Jewish
soldiers. when called to the side of
dying trooper. who was Roman Cath.
o:ic.
The poor fellow begged the rabbi,
who he probably imagined was a
priest, to hold before his eyes the sym.
Dol of his faith and give him his bless.
ing. It was while holding crucifix
before the soldier and whispering him
words of comfort that the rabbi fell,
the victim Of shot from the enemy.
Two Die In Sword Duel.
A London correspondent, who tele-
graphs from near La Bassee, says that
after the fighting at Vielle- -Chapelle a
German cavalryman and q French
mounted ritleman lost their horses.
They continued personal combat, final
/ ly reaching cottage, where they
fought duel with swords in the kitch-
en-. Both were mortally wounded.
They were buried side by side in the
cemetery Of the village church.
The correspondent says the fighting
all through the north of France has
been violent and in many places under
most difficult conditions for cavalry,
which composed great part Of both
forces The district west of Lille is
cut up by rivers. canals and deep de-
pressions. Farms are divided by hedg.
es and rows of trees. Nevertheless
! the allied cavalry fought successfully
at Estaires. Fleurbaix, Laventie, Vie
! ille- -Chapelle. La Couture and Richie.
bourg
Victoria Cross For Three Grnners.
The British gunners of l. battery of
the Royal Horse artillery earned for
themselves recommendation for the
Victoria cross by Il magnificent stand
they made against great odds. Battery
L found itself isolated near Compiegne
owing to failure to receive orders to
retire and We're opposed by strong
German force with ten field guns and
two MaXims. which. on the lifting of
the mist. were suddenly brought to
bear on the unsuspecting and unpre.
pared British battery 600 yards away.
The first volley killed nearly all of
the horses of the British gun teams.
This made retirement with the guns
impossible, and with all speed the men
of L battery unlimbered and commenc.
ed to reply to the German fire. Owing
to their positions they We're only able
to bring three Of their guns to bear on
the enemy. With magnificent GOODNESS
and courage these three guns fired
with such good effect that one by one
the German guns were put out Of &C.
ton. The firing of the Germans was
so effective, however. that in a very
short time only one British gun re-
mained to defend the position.
At last only three Britons. all non
commissioned officers. remained to
serve the gun. Although all wounded
these three men. crouching behind the
gun shield. kept up such deadly fire
that eventually all but one Of the Ger
man guns was put out of action. and
the duel went on until. as one survivor
remarked. I'VE both had enough of it,
| pnH tho Cornouo kh, <huo, vi iol