Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-31
Tells of Negotiations for
the Surrender of
Antwerp.
WAS TURNED DOWN
Belgians Refused Offer to
Save City From Bonn
bardment.

Correspondence Of the Associated PresS.)
AMSTERDAM, Jan. 15.-Certain
interesting details Of the capitulatlon
of Antwerp to the Germans on Oc-
tober 0 and the preceding pourparlers
appear for the first time in the Echo
Beige, which is now published in this
city. Colonel Sorela, military attache
of the Spanish legation at Brussels
who acted as an intermediary be
tween the German commander ana
the municipal authorities OF Antwerp
is authority for the account.
On October 7, about 10 O'CLOCK IN
the morning, Colonel Sorela says ne
was called to the American legation.
When he arrived there he FOUND the
American minister and the Spanish
minister together. They informed him
that the bombardment Of Antwerp
was imminent. They had been told or
this, said the two ministers, because
the German commander had found II
impossible to get in touch with Cen
eral de Guise, the Commandant-gen
eral Of Antwerp. The American ana
Spanish ministers declared that they
had refused to charge themselves with
this mission, but that the German
commander had told them they would
be responsible for all consequences
arising from their refusal.
Colonel Sorela was therefore asked
to charge himself with the mission
and he accepted it.
Went on His Way.
In a quarter of an hour he was
ready for the trip from Brussels to
Antwerp. A letter of Introduction
which had been given him by the
mayors office of Brussels, presented
General Sorela as the envoy OF the
American and Spanish legations and
had been addressed to the mllltary
and civil authorities of Antwerp. II
included documents in which the Ger.
man military and civil authorities had
engaged themselves to spare mum
ber Of historic edifices in the city ol
a tWerp in case the bOmbardmen'
should become necessary.
"a A little while afterWard Baron dt
I.ancken, plenipotentiary OF the Ger,
man emperor and counsel to F1elc
Marshal Won der GoltZ, appeared al
the legation to conduct Colonel Sorela
out of the German lines lie lett t'
Colonel Sorela the choice or elther De
ing taken through the German lines
blindfolded or else engage his word OF
honor to say nothing of what ht
might see within the German military
zone. Colonel Sorela gave his wore
of honor, and then demanded a
what hour the bombardment was t(
begin. 1t was not possible then tC
name the exact time, but Baron az
Iancken told the colonel 1t was un
likely that it would commence before
nightfall
Within an hour the two automobile
left Brussels. The first one, flyini
the colors of the United States anC
Spain, carried Colonel Sorela anC
Baron de Lancken. In the SECOND
machine Travelled three attaches o
the staff of Field Marshal Won de
Goltz. After short delay at Malines
the automobiles continued on thei
way reaching the German outpos
line within four hours.
Carried White Flag.
From that point the Spanish at
tache continued alone. Colonel Sorela
meanwhile, had taken the precautiol
TO place between the Spanish ant
American flags a white flag, which h
had thought best to take with him.
The distance between the Belglal
and German lines was about twelV
kilometers. The automobile was fire.
on several times en- route. But he al
rived safely at the Belgian lines
where ne was received by Genera
de Guise, commander Of Antwerp, II
the presence of several officers.
"I apologized for being the carrie