Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1915-09-29
TELLS WAR TRAGEDY
Wounded French Officer De-
Scrbes Thrilling Escape.
Slips Out Of German Prison and
Makes Way Back to Own Lines
Peasant Baby Shot in His Arms
by German Sentinels.
international News serviceJ

Paris.-A lieutenant in the French
Foreign legion has just told the fol-
lowing story here:
1T was on TIE night of August 90.
after the retreat from Luneville. To
wards five l received a ball in the
forehead-see the scar on the right on
the frontal bone. l fell stunned by
the blow. One of my men picked me
up, and / could hear him confusedly
saying: Our lieutenant is dead My
comrades took me behind a wall and
left me there.
towards seven / came to myself in
a fever, and believing | was in the
thick Of the battle | shouted For.
ward but those to whom | gave the
order were German ambulance men.
Ihey took me on stretcher to Lune-
Vile and shut me in the barracks of
the chasseurs, which had been trans
formed into hospital.
The window bars were old and the
Fever gave me the strength OF ten.
dug at the cement with a knife. and
tore out bar. Slipping through. |
Tell from the first story into an empty
passage leading to the Rue Jollivet.
was bleeding at the knees, but what
matter? | crawled a few yards and
saw the uhlans defiling past in the
main street. Close by was a house
where | had seen light appear and
then go out. After knocking gently
and getting no answer, / broke down
the door with my shoulder and went
in. revolver in hand whole family
was hiding under the staircase, and in
whisper | said L was French and
they had nothing to fear.
A trembling woman's fingers were
held out to guide me. Give me
cloak, hat and a pair of trousers
said. In a second or two these were
forthcoming. Which is the first road
l come to" The road to Bayou. A
mans toneless voice added Iieuten-
ant, you are going-let us go with
you! lit my pocket-lamp to look at
my companions-a lower middfe-class
family, the man pale, with chattering
teeth the woman also pale. but reso-
4 lutte. and two children, one of seven
and the other a baby of nine months
All right | said, we will go-all five
of u.s.
Disguised as a civilian, with bowed
shoulders like an old man | led the
way carrying the baby We ran and
crept along the banks Of the Moselle
where the bridges were occupied by
the troops. We had to go on noiseless.
ly, for ! had heard the cultural cries
OF the sentinels on outpost duty. The
baby began to wall. The outpost heard
us and Wer da?' rang out $50 yards
away. We did not reply and a shower
OF bullets swept us, whistling on all
sides Run. and run fast!' / cried. and
I took the baby again.
He was crying just now. but was
quiet again Another shower OF bull
I let's. My left arm felt heavy and my
+ little finger especially hurt me nor
I horribly At last we fell into dense
scrub God be thanked we were
saved But the underground was
thick. The man had "a knife with him
and had still mine. So we went at il
I cutting a path through The woman.
motherly even i'm her terror. offered TO
/ take the baby to tighten mo No. MOI
I ] said. ne does not weigh much and
. he is asleep.
/ We cut so hard into the wood
+ heard afterwards that 81 was the for.
/ est of PdrrOy that we came 10 "A
/ clearing and path But how heavy
/ the baby was! a grand fine boy said
+ the mother. and ] did not doubt her i'm
/ the least We walked hard. going
westward Suddenly French voices
| challenged. Halt who goes there2' a
/ French officer ! answered and ad.
/ vanced 10 explain who We were and
| whence we came.
But you are wounded. lieutenant
says tho sergeant. HUSH say moth.
| ing for the sake OF the others / re.
piled for by the glare Of the lantern
had seen blood also on the baby's bon.
net Two men to take these good
people 10 the rear. ordered with