The Washington times., 1916-07-25
Frenchn1an Tells Vivid
Story of His Escape
Recaptured by Dutch Only to Fail in Two
Previous Attempts.

PARIS. July zo.-Sergeant Letor. OF
the zzsth French infantry. taken prs
oner at the battle OF Guise during the
retreat or the french army from Char-
leroi, has just given the details OF his
final escape from Germany after two
unsuccessful attempts. in one OF which
he had himself buried alive. and In
tho other recaptured by ruse after no
had gotten into Dutch territory.
After describing how he and his COM
rades were taken to q prison In Der
many. Letor says he saw his first
chance when sent with q detachment OF
French prisoners to clear q piece OF
woods. Most OF the work was simply
digging up stumps. and this suggested
an idea. II will throw myself into the
excavation OF one OF the old stumps,' 1
said to my comrades" and when the
sentinel's back Is turned you will cover
me with earth.
The morning OF April 1 caught the
sentinel OF OF his guard blowing at the
nre. trying to make It burn. while l
was working beside a stump that had
Just been uprooted. / slipped into the
hole face downward with a sack under
my chin and a clump or ferns in front
or my face to protect my mouth ana
serve as a sort or breathing pad; a rev
seconds later felt the cold earth tnii-
ing upon my feet and legs. After the
my comrades threw roots ana branches
over my head and shoulders to prevent
me from sufrocating.
II remained there until half past
eleven. the earth settling all the time
and weighing heavier and heavier upon
me. At quarter past eleven one OF
the German sentinels walked straight
over The earth that covered me. limit
was the last I knew until l felt an
my hands. / had lost consciousness at
ter the sentinel had walked over me.
with my left hand Just sticking out OF
the hole. but II was impossible to sup
port the sunlight. and 1 had to purrow
again Tor few moments.
Makes for Holland.
When I looked out again. my COM
rades were marching of to their bar
racks: my opportunity had come.
had to be quick for 800 Yards away the
chief OF the detachment Of guards was
counting the prisoners: In a few min
utes nv disappearance would be known
and the alarm given. ran to a marsh
on the other side OF the road that
passed along the wood: then. In order
to put my pursuers OF the scent. I ran
toward a mine In the direction oppo-
site to that / was obliged to finally
take. / showed myself to peasants
travelling near that mine. then turning
INTO wood where I was concealed from
view. took the opposite direction and
made for Holland. with the aid of a
little pocket compass.
Passing along beside a farm, saw
some OF nv comrades who were en-
ployed there and observed that there
was genral agitation. from which
knew that the alarm had been given.
then went toward the river Lippe
crossed the bridge. and went straight
through the town Of Altern. conceal
ing my visage from many persons
met by continually blowing my nose
with my handkerchief. Speed was my
principal Dreoccupation. silence the sec
ond. i took Off nv shoes and made
thirty miles through the woods bare
foted. over briars and branches that
brought the blood after the firts mile or
Dutch frontier. the next morning at
o'clock. and as i neared the village
put my shoes on again and resolutely
took the high road.
The first man I met In crossing the
Village OF Borken was a gendarme who
simply gazed at me. A few hundred
yards from the frontier / met a boy on
a bicycle. who inspired me with more
caution than any person ! had met.
ran into h little wood and concealed
myself for a half hour. When came
out another bicyclist came up behind
me. Jumped to the ground and dema nd
ed your papers I am a Hollander.'
replied. have no papers second
with people searching from all sides.