New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-19
GERMANS ARREST
WHITLOCK'S AID
Lord Manners's Daughter
and English Nurses Also
in Belgian Jail.
ms Cab,e'o The Thbunol

London. Jan. Il. Brand Whitlock,
American Minister 20 Belgium, Is hav-
ing serious difficulties with the German
authorities at Brussels. report
which has slowly come through from
Brussels shows that in December Ny
Whitlock had great trouble concerning
the release Of seven English nurses
who we're under his protection ana
who, after faithful promises from the
supreme authorities in Brussels that
thew should not be molested. were i'm
prisoned at Mons, despite the presence
there Of a representative Of Mr. Whit
lock. who was also placed under arrest
in spite Of his diplomatic character and
the possession Of perfect credentials,
both German and American.
This English corps OF nurses. seven
women and one doctor, known as the
Manners ambulance has recently
reached London. after many difficulties
I'm Belgium and Germany. The ambu-
lance corps is headed BY the Hon:
Angela Manners, daughter OF Lord
Manners. and Miss Nellie Hozier,
sister-in-law OF Winston Spencer
Churchill. First Lord Of the AdmiraltT.
They charge not only the breaking Of
words OF honor TO Mr. Whitlock. but
also abominable treatment of them
selves They say they were imprisoned
in a penitentiary in Mons for five days
and treated with disrespect, getting the
same prison accommodations as noto-
rious murderers. and were denied the
: attendance of any woman Jailer
Say They Were Threatened
Two Of the women say tnat in the
presence of Mr. Whitlock's represent
alive they were threatened by an IN
furated German commandant at Mons
who declared the Germans would give
them a lesson TO show them how Ger
mans treated the English, who, he sad,
mistreated the German wounded and
German women in England. When
through Minister Whitlock's insistence.
in Brussels, they were finally released
they say they were compelled TO make
a return journey TO England through
Germany, via Scandinavia, in spite OF
passports from Mr.. Whitlock, given by
German authorities. that they should
20 via Holland. On this trip they were
detained in German barracks thirty-slX
hours. .,
The whole story, as now being told
in London. il one of broken German
words 70 Mr.. Whitlock. According to
this story, early in December these
nurses. who had been caught at Mons,
informed Mr.. Whitlock that they reared
arrest. Mr.. Whitlock saw the com
handing officers at Brussels and from
them obtained assurances that no ar.
rest was contemplated and promises OF
immediate release if they wished to re
turn 10 England. Mr.. Whitlock said
he would send representative to
bring them to Brussels. lie sent an
American named Scranton, who was at
tached 10 the legation.
After Mr.. Scranton's arrival at Mons
orders reached there from Brussels,
where Mr.. Whitlock had such solemn
assurances concerning the non-moles-
tation. that the nurses we're arrested.
This, according to the story the nurses
tell. was ordered in the presence OF
two of them and Mr.. Scranton at the
Kommandantur at Mons, where bus
tering cOmmandant seemed in his fury
about to attack them. He even ordered
Mr.. Scranton arrested, refusing, de-
spite his German and American pass
ports. 10 believe he was an American.
Mr.. Scranton, however, was shortly re-
leased and returned to Brussels. where
he reported to Mr. Whitlock.
Whitlock Demanded Release.
The American Minister again went to
the Governor General and demanded
the immediate release OF the nurses.
This was on Tuesday. Promises were
once more given, but the actual release
was not obtained until the following
Saturday, and only after half the
American Legation staff went 10 Mons
10 see about it. Finally the nurses
were brought back 10 Brussels under
Mr.. Whitlock's protection and were
given passports to proceed to Aix-la-
Chapelle and thence to Holland, en-
route 20 England. II was the distinct
understanding that they should pass
/ through Holland the authorities hav-
/ ing so assured Mr.. Whitlock, but they
were taken first to Germany and de-
/ tanned for a while and then sent by
way Of Scandinavia.
The nurses say they learned from
another nurse who had made the same
trip that this was a favorite trick of
/ the Germans, despite their assurances
to the American Legation in Brussels.
At Mons the nurses endeavored 10 OBJ
tain the reasons for their arrest. They
were first told that IL was by way Of
reprsals for the arrest OF Germans by
the English, then that il was because
they were spies, and, finally, because
IL l. 1 4 81. 4