Imperial Valley press., 1915-02-20
Wcman's Escape From Belgium.

Wcman's Escape From Belgium.
London, Feb. 15.-Herc Is the story
of woman's escape from Belgium.
She is a London solicitors wife and
the daughter CT a Belgian army Off
Ger. After five months separation
she has rejoined her husband in Eng
land.
Caught in Belgium when tho Ger
mans swept over the land. she found
no opportunity to get out until in
December, when she obtained 4 con
ditional passport emitting her to tray
el within the eastern half f Bel
gium.
"Then,' she says, q contracted
with one of those shady general and
commission agents who make spe-
cialty of conveying passengers in un-
lawful fashion across the Dutch froa-
tier, and | left the Belgian capital as
one of a party of ten under his guild
ancc.
The railways being c,esad 10 them.
they had to proceed by easy stages
on foot or in country CARS Whcn they
could get them, to The frontier town
Of Y, ard put up at an inn while
the contractor hurried to the "Kcm-
mandatur," or office Of the local Ger
man administrators. He returned
looking rather glum, saying that they
had each to apply in person.
1--WE entered the Kommandatgr, and
the trap so sunningly laid for us by
the Germans, to find ourselves placed
under immediate arrest. Each Of us
II turn was closely cross-eNamined and
re-eXamined. both publicly and in pri-
vate. by PrusSian colonel and lieu
tenant. and then, certain contradic-
tons having struck our Warders. we
were searched one by one in neigh
boring room; the women, At any rate.
in most horrid fashion, hardly an
inch of their clothing or Of their per
sons escaping the fingers of tbe
soarcher, a nun of whose real pro
fcssion and sex | am still IN doubt
"On hearing the order for the
search one of my lady companions, q
we'll known Brussels actress, swooucd,
cI pretended TO. And when a male
companion of hers failed to reappear
tie mystery was explained to us by
the old colonel who told u that
secret code and official reports to the
Belgian government had been found
hidden away in the lining Of his jack
ct. lie was a spy and would he ii
once conveyed TO the citadel of Ant
wcrp and dealt with Tomorrow.
rcuf! pouf' grimly added the Prussian
veteran, by way Of comment. A
for ourselves, as we wore. 10 all an
pearances, associated with such a per
son, we would at least be detained rs
Suspects pending further Inquiries"
Not until nearly midnight were they
allowed to return to the inn, which
they did under an armed escort.
Sadly we sat in the dining room
bewailing our misfortunos, when MI
Of "A sudden the young actress, now .9
tears, confessed to us that shc, ,co,
was a Belgian secret agent f5.t.
the partner of the doomed mau-a.G
that upstairs, in her bag, there were
state papers Of considerable import
ance. She begged us, therefore. as
patriots, in case she was arrested. to
burn those papers.
"A little later-about , o'clock-in
comes a German N. c. O. ard an cs-
cert to order forcihly her return to
the Kommandatur Completely COL
lected now, she badc us aG revoir with
a nervous smile and Glance which
shall never forget. When she had
gone one Of US gldcd mp to the bed
room to fetch the precious rapars.
The question was how to destroy them
without attracting thc attention Of
the sentries placed before our win
dow. There was no other fire burn
ing in The house save in The dining
room. Then ono of us, again woa-
an, hit upon novel plan for dispo,-
inf of the papers. We moved The
table and, as if to pass the time.
started dancing all around the room
and in front of the hearth. And then
as each Of our merry party ncarcd
the fireplace he or she flung share
of the papers into the flame until
the whole lot were consumed. Then
upon some abrupt remark ~ one Of
tie sentries, we quoted down very
gradually to allay any lurking su.-
picions in his mind.
"At dawn a German Y Z. o ar-
rived from The Kcmmabdatar and po-
Gtely told Us in excellent French that
hi2 chiefs were satisfied Of our in
rocence in The matter bul chat, - no
one could leave the coaatre without