The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-14
AMERICAN, IN GERMAN
JAIL 7 MONTHS, ESCAPES
Machinist Tells Remarkable Story of War Preparations
Made as Long Ago as November, 1913-Made
Prisoner After Start of Conflict.

there being no water inside the camp
He vas given a wooden yoke FOR MS
neck. around which was bent a 3 incn
iron tubing. at either end being a chain
and hook to fasten the two buckets.
seventy trips q day Pray estimates he
made to and from the spring.
The food Pray describes as being "A
sinking mess nj for swine and not for
humans" There was Just enough TO
sustain existence. but not more. Break.
fast was at 80 In the morning
dinner at $3.50 In the afternoon. HARD
brown bread was mixed with chopped
pork and blood and potatoes we're
ground into . powder and mixed with q
beef extract. The only eating utensl
was a wooden spoon. There were no
delicacies or canteen supplies.
Fortunately for Pray. he was per-
mitted TO keep the last suit which had
been given him before leaving Marien-
feldt. Others In the camp were in
wretched condition AS far as clothing
was concerned. In the beginning he was
permitted to make trips only to the
spring In the daytime. Dot as the lays
went on he was allowed to go at night
him hope to escape.
He describes the precautions for exit
and entrance TO the camp as extremely
elaborate. To get In or out a continu-
Gus chain OF s%entries must be passed.
AZ night, for example. he would adj
vance toward the inner gate and cry
"Wassermsn :" A sentry would fash
an electric torch over him and then
make 4 complex number Of signals to
the gatekeeper. who would answer with
another set OF fiashes. The gate would
then be opened and Waterman Pray,
With his yoke and buckets, would get
outside the gate. only to be scrutinized
BY another sentry. The same sort OF
nashing and signalling would be done
between that sentry and the keeper OF
the outer gate At the ENHANCEMENT.
coming back IA similar procedure was
followed.
Escapes Through strategy.
On May IS came a kind OF night that
Pray had been anxlously awaiting. A
heavy misty rain fell and there was a
considerable fog on the slopes. At .
o'clock. giving himself a anal grip. he
started for the gate crying "wasser-
man After the usual formaiities he
Mas passed out. Holding himelf in he
made the 1856 strides TO the spring with
even more deliberation han usual. He
took on his yoke and filled his buckets,
but then made for the river a few yards
away He did not dare try the bridge.
which he knew to be guarded. but at
The spot he selected was a ford. and.
though al times he was obliged 10 swim
ne made most OF the passage across the
river. which Is one Of the tributaries
OF the Rhine. by walking.
.Then came the most remarkable part
OF MS odyssey. II took him eleven
DAYS TO reach the Swiss frontier AZ
Singer. He travelled at night. taking
his direction from the North star and
IN foggy nights by feeling the bark
OF trees. knowing tina, toward the north
u Is much rouehsr than 20 the south.
lie was also guided by moss on the
ROCKS and the noise OF trains. For food
ne crept at night into pigpens and stole
the huslis OF the swine. One night he
slept over a pigsty. hut the rest ~ the
time ht slept In the open. with the
ROCKS and moss of the Hohcnzollern
Mountains for his couch.
tie broke into a butchers shop on
one occasion and stole raw meat
Another time he crept into an omen
Darn and MIXED a COW. using his hat
as pail. The hat was dllspidated and
iull OF holes and he could ge, only a
iew drops at a time, bu, he KEEP, al the
Joo until his hunger was satisfied, Dur.
ing these eleven days he encountered
ohiy TWO persons, a boy from whom he
boldly asked for a match and on the
last day before reaching Singer a NO.
man from whom he obtained some bre,d
and milk.
Reaching Singer. he craultd into A
tarpaulln covered freight car and later
found himself in Lucerne. From In.
cerne he walked TO Bern. where he
picked up his food and a little money
by working In automobile factories or
assisting motorists in plights along the
road lie managed to pick up "A lob
as a machinist for "A wealthy Italian
ana after many vicissitudes reached
faris. From Paris he tramped to Rou-n
and to Dieppe. then went to B~oulogns
ana hnally ON the Fourth Of July got "A
Job on a boat sailing that day for Avon.
mouth with wounded horses. Landing
at AVonmouth on July ). he walked
ana worked his way 10 London, ar
Twins here last Friday. The American
Relief Committee pomptly took him In
hand and htted him out with clothes
and money.
Pray has told his story to the Ameri.
can Embassy and TO the authorize.
mere and steps are being taken 10 OBJ
ain a fresh passport for him. The
authorities are convinced that the Ger
man officer at Soxzen never DESTROYED
the 'g'na passport. but that II is now
being used by some one else,
Pray is anxious TO remain I'm Eng.
land and turn his knowledge OF oil cooled
motor car guns and similar things,
which he learned In Germany before
his arrest. to the benent of England.
He says he thinks that Ia the best vsy
to r-pay the Germans for their hos
pitality to him.