New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-25
BLIND, HE PAINTS
NISH TEUTON HELL
D. NJ. Dold Describes
Havoc as Germans Dis
place Soft Bulgar Rule.
CITY SURRENDERED
BY HIM AND BISHOP
Girls Met Bulgarians with Car
lands as Peace Plea-Nervous
Strain Ruined Eyesight.

Blind and still hagRRrd from the
sufferings he underwent while doing
relief work in Serbia. Douglass Nj.
Dold told yesterday Of his part in the
surrender Of Nish to the invading
Bulgars. With his brother, he re-
turned or the Rotterdam 70 his home
in Astoria. where he is being nursed
back TO health in the River Crest
ssnatoriur. Of which his father is
head surgeon. Both Of the men were
u from their privations and gro
tesouely clad in makeshift garments
that had been picked VI wherever they
could find them.
Shortly after the fall Of Nish Dola
was stricken blind and when the city
was IN the control of the Germans the
two brothers made their way across
Serbia to a town in Hungary. From
there they went 10 Budapest, thence 10
Vienna and Berlin. In his trip through
Au.tria and Germany Dold wore the
coat of an English army officer ana a
ran which formerly belonged TO SIR
Ralph Paget, who had charge of reiet
supplies in Nish. His brother during
the trip wore a pair OF boots that hau
been left behind by the fleeing Minister
If the Interior Of Serbia. Their strange
esrb made them subjects Of suspicion
and r,dicule throughout the trip TO
Rotterdam. where they collected some
batter clothing and took the boat.
Serbs Sack Own City.
when the Bulgarians broke through
the line there was panic and confusion
everywhere" he said yesterday. Sev-
eral times during the interview ne
nassed his hano across his slghtless
sves with a gesture that showed the
recollection was extremely palnful'
"Of course, the population IS used 10
war bv this time, but II was not until
the Serbians began falling back through
the citv that the real panic started
II was terrible. The goth Punk lregl-
ment killed its colonel and, as II re,
treated. looted the city and violated
the women
Dold says he attempted to protect
tho bospital stores, but that he was
knocked down in the mad rush that pre-
coded the evacuation of the city. stores
Of alcohol and quInine were strewn
about, and anything that came within
reach of the soldiers was wantonly de-
stroyed. A supply Of 2,400 shoes dis
appeared as if by magic.
"When the Bulgars were wlthn q
short distance Of the city throng OF
Young women bearing great garlands OF
flowers as a peace offering went out
10 meet them. The population decided
Tint would be the best way TO express
its complete surrender and helpless
ness. The Bishop Of Nish appealed TO
me because | was an American citizen
with a passport TO surrender the city
He was afraid the invaders would con-
tinue the looting and violating begun
by the Serbians.
Germans Start Havoc.
"As they entered the town two chairs
were placed in the roadway, one for me
and one for the Bishop. The command
ing officer halted his troops and heard
the short speech Of the Bishop, in which
| was referred TO as an American who
was there to give them protection. The
officer called for my passport and other
papers. Through an Interpreter l told
him we surrendered the city, and asked
him to protect the citizens and hospital
supplies. He bowed respectfully, and
the army took possession. | must say
his men behaved splendidly. guard
was sent to protect the supplies, and
there was no disorder until the Ger
mans arrived.
Then hell broke loose. II was ter
rible. They looted, they burned houses
they violated and whipped women. they
did every sort of awful and unmention-
able thing imaginable. The cathedral
was used for stable, and all OF the
sources of water supply they dld not
need for themselves were ruined for
others By throwing in rubbish and gar
bage. The filth that accumulated filed
the city with an awful stencil.
"Hundreds of women came TO US beg
cling FOR protection, asking us TO take
/ them away or 20 marry them, TO do
ANYTHING that they imagined would
save them from the Germans. The
guards over the hospital supplies were
knocked down and kicked. l don''
| know what happened 70 the supplies
/ II was at that time that became blind
/ II Ia due TO the strain | was under,
suppose. For a long time we didn't
have enough to eat and we could get
very little sleep, the demands on Us
we're so pressing"
Dold is twenty-seven years old AM
was In Serbia for six months. Whei
the exodus began Sir Ralph Page
turned the hospital supplies over q
MIN. His brother William Is twenty
Elk wears old. They are the sons o
DIR. William f. Dold. of Astoria. 1t i
said Dold will probably recover from
his blindness as he recuperates.