The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1914-11-19

firing as they retired.
Relentlessiy pressed. the Belgians
moved out of town, crossed the bridge
over the River Dyle and marched
about eight hundred yards down the
river. where they hastily took "a pCsi'
tion.
Hides on a Prison Porch.
! ! saw several fires started by Bel.
gian shells and passed the famous
cathedral OF 81. Rombold. which had
been badly damaged. We crossed sew.
eral bridges. the Belgians trims on us
at right angles from down the river.
On the bridge the Germans advanced
as fast as they could run, making us
keep ahead OF them. On the last
bridge I crossed found myself alone
with u German officer He inspected
my flag. heard my story and told me
To take refuge In the porch OF the
prison. which stood close by. and wait
until the general came up.
Whole columns kept on coming. all
crossing the bridge ut II run IN groups
of 20. After them came light naval
guns drawn by marines. The general
stan followed souu after and also TOOK
shelter behind the prison Apparent
ly, the Belgian artillery had been
warned Of this fact. for their shells be-.
gan to burst near the prison
Several wounded soldiers wer.
brought into the office and | maryeled
at their fortitudc
also Was surprised 20 see the Ger.
man officers expose themselves with
absolute Disregard of their lives Dur.
Ing all the street lighting they were nj.
ways among their men. commanding
them to take shelter near the walls or
behind projecting corners. ! saw the
soldiers doing this while the officers
themselves were walking right in the
middle OF the road. The officer with
whom ! crossed the last bridge chat
ted with me, utterly Indifferent to the
fact that bullets were nying about us
and hattcning themselves against the
iron work Of the bride.
Given staff officer Guard.
interviewed Admiral Won Schroe.
der, commanding the marine division.
He was "a hearty old sea dog. smoking
a short German pipe and dressed like
"A yachtsman. He told me that might
return 10 Antwerp and tell the Bel.
gians there that he would be with
them IN a couple o. weeks.
You also may wire London" said
the admiral. that I will be there in
couple OF months" As had had
enough Of marching toward Antwerp
at the head OF an attacking column,
begged the admiral to let me go 10
Brussels.
Granted" said the admiral Not
only this, but two stan officers will
take you in their motor car"
They did so, eating me with the
greatest cordially. The country pre-.
sented shocking aspect. Every vii.
lage church and farm building had
been burned to the ground. all going
down before the tide OF fire. The fields
were desolate and the inhabitants had
fled. Az We passed IA village called
Hopstade ! saw four 46-Centimeter
nS.l'inch) guns being put into posi-
tion. | knew then that Antwerp as a
fortress was doomed.
Charged with Being Spy.
On my arrival In brussels the Ger.
mans consideration for me came 20
an end abruptly for the time being.
! was sent TO the war Office building,
the upper rooms In which had been
converted into n prison. Here | was
brought before a Judge and subjected
to u drastic search and crosse Xamina.
tion. The detectives found some good
war maps, with penciled indications OF
the position of the German artillery,
notes ! had taken for myself, and also
a camera with undevelopcd films OF
military pictures that | had taken I'm
the course of my journeyings within
both the German and the Belgian
lines.
On this evidence | was charged
with being spy. In spite OF the abun.
dant proof of my position as Il CORE.
spondcnt The Judge bluntly told me
that | might be shot the next morn.
ing, and this suggestion was promptly
made 10 the commanding general, who
summoned me TO appear before him.
Again | stated my case. Unlike the
Judge, the general seemed more anN.
ious 10 do justice than to shoot al.
legged spies,
Held Until Antwerp Falls.
You have important information
about our dispositions before Ant.
werp." said he. This information
you gained By passing through forbid.
den territory, and see that you noted
down the position OF our heavy ar.
tillcry. You must remain under
guard here until Antwerp is In our
hands; then you may go free"
! cannot say how ! rejoiced when
the day OF my release dawned nor
how sorrowful felt for my fellow.
prisoners | left behind Az soon as
Antwerp fell the Germans set about
repairing the roads between that city
and Brussels.
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