The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-18
WAR TRAGEDY
Wounded French Officer De-
sCribes Thrilling Escape.
Slips Out of German Prison and
Makes Way Back to Own Lines
Peasant Baby Shot in His Arms
by German SentineIs.
international News service.)

Paris.-A lieutenant in the French
Foreign legion has just told the fol-
lowing story here:
1T was on the night of August %,
after the retreat from Luneville. To-
wards five l received a ball in the
forehead-see the scar on the right on
the frontal bone. / fell stunned by
the blow. One of my men picked me
up, and l could hear him %confusedly
saying: Our lieutenant is dead My
comrades took me behind a wall and
left me there.
Towards sever l came to myself in
a fever, and believing | was in the
thick of the battle. | shouted For.
ward but those to whom | gave the
order were German ambulance men.
They took me on a stretcher to Lune-
vile and shut me in the barracks of
the ~chasseurs, which had been trans
formed into a hospital.
The window bars were old and the
fever gave me the strength of ten. |
dug at the cement with a knife, and
tore out a bar. Slipping through, |
fell from the first story into an empty
passage leading to the Rue Jollivet. |
was bleeding at the knees, but what
matter? l crawled a few yards and
saw the uhlans defling past in the
main street. Close by was a house
where l had e e a light appear and
then go out. After knocking gently
and getting no answer, l broke down
the door with my shoulder and went
in, revolver in hand. A whole family
was hiding under the staircase, and in
a whisper l said l was French and
they had nothing to fear.
"A trembling woman's fingers were
held out to guide me. Give me a
cloak, a hat and a pair of trousers |
said. In a second or two these were
forthcoming. Which is the first road
l come to?' The road to Bayou A
mans toneless voice added: Lieuten-
ant, you are going-let us go with
you'll l lit my pocket-lamp to look at
my companions-a lower middle-class
family, the man pale, with chattering
teeth, the woman also pale, but reso-
lutte, and two children, one of seven
and the other a baby Of nine months.
All right | said. we will go-all five
of usl'
Disguised as a civilian, with bowed
shoulders like an old man, l led the
way, carrying the baby. We ran and
crept along the banks of the Moselle
where the bridges were occupied by
the troops. We had to go on ~noiseless-
ly. for | had heard the cultural cries
of the sentinels on outpost duty. The
baby began to wall. The outpost heard
us and 'Wer DAP rang out $50 yards
away. We did not reply and a shower
Of bullets swept us. whistling on all
sides. Run, and run fast!' l cried, and
l took the baby again.
HE was crying just now, but was
quiet again. Another shower of bull
let's. My left arm felt heavy and my
little finger especially hurt me hor-
horribly. At last we fell into a dense
scrub. God be thanked! we were
savedl But the underground was
thick. The man had a knife with him
and / had still mine. So we went at 1t
cutting a path through. The woman,
motherly ven in her terror, offered to
take the baby to tighten me. No, mol
l said, he does not weigh much and
he is asleep
I'VE cut SO hard into the wood
heard afterwards hat it was the for
est of Parroy-that we came to a
clearing and a path. But how heavy
the baby was! A grand, fine boy. said
the mother. and l did not doubt her In
the least. We walked hard, going
westward. Suddenly French voices
challenged. Halt, who goes there?' "A
French officer ! answered, and ad-
vanced to explain who we were and
whence we came.
but you are wounded, lieutenant
says the sergeant. 'Hushl Say moth
ing for the sake Of the Others re-
piled. for by the glare of the lantern I
had seen blood also on the baby's bon.
net. Two men to take these good
people to the rear | ordered with a