Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-06
THEY GOFOR DAYS
WITHOUT EATING
German Officer, Taken Prisoner,
Tells of Defense of Ar
morcd Post.
COMMANDMENT SHAKESPEARE
Touching Sight When Two Con-
voys of Teutonic Cap
tives Meet.

PARIS. August 5.-In a French town.
the name of which ! am not permitted
to give. ! saw q very strange sight
the other day when two of
German officers, taken prisoners on
various parts OF the front and en-
route for the same French fortress, ac-
cidentally met. 1t Is utterly impossi-
bic to attempt to describe the express
sion OF stupor which spread across
their features when they came face to
face in this unexpected manner. Their
guards had orders not to permit them
to speak 20 each other. but they were
too swift. Those among them who
knew each other. having studied at
the same military college. belonged
to the same regiment, or. perhaps. had
fought in the Same battles, threw
themselves into each others arms and
cried with emotion. quite natural In
men who have escaped safe and sound
from an inferno Of fire and noise. They
all talked at once and asked and an
swered questions at the same time, and
1t required all the authority Of a
French general, who had been called
in, to put an end to this exchange of
Feelings and experiences. Then the
two groups were parted and taken to
the separate corners OF the large room
from where they were called one by
one to undergo the usual examination
Of prisoners in adjoining roms.
They had all indicated their identity
and the units TO which they belonged.
as soon as they arrived from the front.
What was to be done now was to get
an idea Of their impression and look
into their morale. Physically they were
all. without exception, in excellent con-
dition. Their uniforms were new and
at the station they had been given all
they could eat. Some OF them had
bought provisions for several days.
MAJORITY OF PRISONERS
NOT Inclined TO TALK
Most OF them did not feel inclined
to talk and answered the questions
asked as briefly as possible, but they
showed the greatest respect toward
the French general and his assistants
who examined them.
Seated at he end of the LONG table
one German officer without the slight
est prompting told the following tale:
we expected the attack. Though
your fliers had prevented our flying
men from crossing your front, we knew
all about your preparations and we
had taken all possible precautions. we
had got saps dug almost to points I'M
derneath your trenches. we had con-
structed very large shelters in our
rear and had made our dugouts and
sheIlproof shelters much deeper, and
finally we had almost tripled the num-
Der or our machine guns. On the 25th
OF June your bombardment began. The
Whn1a aorfh frar ", h1aJ a-l -
remained like a cloud above our
trenches. We could see absolutely
nothing Of what was happening in
front of us. We expected the attack
on the 2Sth of June, but the dreadful
bombardment lasted three whole DAVIS
longer.
w got no food for days. 1 was in
command OF an armored post defend-
ed by four machine guns. l had picked
out the men to serve them myself and
felt sure my position was imprePna-
Bile. When the attack came we did not
last long. Our reserves never GOT n
chance to deploy. We were taken
prisoners and since then. I have been
told. that it was the same tale every.
where. This is all 1 have to tell.
general. The rest you know better
than I do"
He arose. saluted. and before he went
back TO his seat in the room outside
he took from his helmet a letter which
he handed to the French general with
these words:
i should consider it a great favor.
general, II YOU would kindly see that
this letter is sent to its destination T
am n business man. and. while 1 was in
the trenches L used to send orders for
the conduct OF my business to NV or.
flee every day. I should not like them
to be without news from me-"