New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-28
Fleeing NTH the Serbs:
ACorrespondenfS Diary
Skies Lit with Burning Railway Buildings While roPu
lace PIundering Cars Gets Drunk on
French Champagne.

the message stated, was coming up on
locomotive 20 give the station master
his final instructions. Almost az the
same moment cavalry soldier rode IN
looking for the staff of the I'd Army.
He said "A strong German force was
moving on Narvarin, "A village five miles
TO the west Of Chichivatz Twelve
hours, at most. was all that lay be
tween IL and occupation by the Ger
mans.
People Plumber Trains.
When the inspector arrived he told
Us that as soon as the train from
Tchupria and ParachIne, carrying the
railway staff Of these towns, passed
through. the intervening bridges would
be blown Up and Chichiyatz also cyac.
uated | had hardly been asleep halt
an hour when ! was aroused by ire
mcndous explosion, followed quar-
ter Of an hour later by succession
Of minor explosions. These were
caused by the blowing up OF the am
munition wagons. The crimson glare
announced that the scores Of cars on
the railway siding were ablaze.
At the same time an engine Just OPP
posite my windows began whistlIng
Strldehlly- bo"ll'N"'i }" N"'
ward | found the whole population,
male and female, old and young, busy
looting the carriages and trucks no,
yet prey to the flames.
Half dozen wagons filled with boots
for the Rumanian army, which mad
been living in the siding for three
months. were being plundcred. TWO
other wagons filled with 10000 francs.
worth of cigarette papers, wagons hI!ed
with Serbian wine, French champagne
liqueurs and perfumery, were also
given over to plumber Thousands OF
baqs of flour. boxes Of biscuits, timed
meats and sardines covered the ground
on all sides, while the inhabitants OF
the village were loading carts and
handbarrows.
Town Drunk on Champagne.
These people were not worrying mucn
about the approach Of the Germa,hs'
As they had determined 70 be taken
prisoners. they regarded the advance
Ct the invaders philosophlcalIy' 49,,
Ny chief worry was NarVarI""' "N'T.
could see only four miles Away. IL
had been occupied az dawn by me yer
man cavalry, and, OF course. they mlRh
risk a sudden dash for Ch.cnlvatz' ana
perhaps even SGldtA' ~" % N'N 49,
We therefore determined 20 return
at once for Krusevatz. The press OF
vehicles on the road was so great tnal
We saw we could proceed queer on
foot. so we left the carriage TO follow
and started TO cover the Intervening
twenty kilometres.
When we reached krusevatz, late IN
the afternoon, We found the town ap-
parently in high festival. Everybody
seemed in the best Of humor and gay
ETY. reigned everywhere.
We soon discovered the cause. Inc
whole town. men. women and children
had been drinking unlimited quantities
Of French champagne, traintul Of
which was lying in the station. Nnen
the capture of the town was seen 20 be
inevitable orders were given there, as
elsewhere. TO let the population plurder
everything IN sight. and the order had
been faithfully obeyed.
| doubt. however. II this had the et-
feet Of preventing the goods falling
into the hands of the Germans. The
latter would not be long in hearing Of
what had happened. They would simply
most IN a notice 70 the inhabitants tell
ing them 20 bring back all the plumber
70 the "KommaLdatur,' twelve bullets
being provided for any one who should
fail TO do so. This. plus the threat OF
house-to-house search TO discover
those who had failed 90 obey, would
probably rake in nine-tenths OF the
goods.