Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-05
MATRIMONY BEATS
WAR, BELGIAN SAYS
Bourgeois, Former Hayden Butler,
Marries and Returns After Re-
spending as Reservist.
WON'T LEAVE AMERICA AGAIN


Rene Bourgeois, formerly butler for
Mrs. Edward Hayden, has returned
to Omaha with a German bullet
wound in his left leg and blushing
bride on his right arm.
"Matrimony better than war;" said
Bourgeois. I'm glad to get back
to Omaha and will never leave Amer
lea again"
After going to Belgium last fall in
answer to his native country's call for
reservists, Bourgeois went through heavy
fighting in the Ypres region. was wounded
and incapacitated for further service and
retired from the army.s At the end of
a month. he was able to leave the
English hospital where he was treated.
went to Antwerp, found his INTENDED
wife, escaped with her through the Ger
man lines to London by way of Holland.
and after being married in the British
capital they came to Omaha.
When Bourgeois left Omaha to go and
fight for Belgium. his friends told him
he was going TO death, and they never
expected to see him again.
Maybe ! won't come back" he ad-
mitted, but IL l do, Ill bring a wife with
me-
Omahans were surprised Tuesday after
noon when Bourgeois appeared in Omaha
again, and stlll more so, when he in
troduced a pretty. rosy checked girl with
him as his wife. They are now staying
with friends, Mr.. and Mrs. Hemi Bogard
515 North Thirty-thlrd street. Today the
xsy91I - ~
as butler at the Hayden residence. 2O16
Cass street, where he served for three
years before answering the call to arms
He has almost entirely recovered from
the effects of his wound.
Saw River Filled with Dead.
Upon reaching Belgium, Bourgeois says
he first acted as a butcher in the army
for two weeks, killing cattle for the
troops. Then he was assigned to the
Fourth division, Third company, OF the
body of soldiers made up of returning
reservists. They were sent to the Ypres
region in Flanders and were at Roulers
before the Germans took Ostend
II saw the User river gradually filled
UP with dead bodies of German soldiers,
who continually tried TO croes. Finally,
NilNh iiiG piANs VI htdu IoS6 dDONe the
water line, the Germans charged across.
using the foundation OF corpses as a
bridge, and they drove our Belgian troops
from the position we had held on the
bank
Shortly afterward, i'm terrible fighting,
half way between Roulers and Dixmunde
in Belgium. was shot in the left leg.
The doctor said I wouldn't be able to
fight any more, so at my request he had
me retired. For month / was in the
Winsford Cottage hospital at Beaworthy,
North Devon, England where many
wounded Belgian troops were cared for.
When strong enough to travel again,
] went back to Antwerp and found Gene
Brants, my sweetheart. We decided TO
get married but found l couldn't leave
the country, although the Germans would
let anybody in. So Gene, who could 70
unmolested. agreed to meet me in Rotter-
dam. At night l crawled on my hands
| and knees through the German lines into
Holland and soon found Gene in Rotter.
dam. We went to London and were mar
ried, and then came to America
Never again viii I go to Belgium. II
is no longer like 1t used to be. MANY
people and houses, even whole towns. are
gone, and Germans are everywhere. My
poor country seems to be no more
"But got a wife and we are safe in
America. Never will we leave this coun-
try, for we are happy and there is no
war here.
There must have been 6o.0cO or 7O.oOC
, Belgians killed already, many more than
that wounded and still greater numbers
taken prisoners. Out OF 10000 Belgian
troops to start with. there can be only
q little army left"