The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-17

and some seemed so badly manned
and mangled that even Death had re-
fused to accept them.
There was one poor fellow moving
about the train with sheepskin pads
on his knees and both feet gone.
Me no good any more" he smiled
in broken English when he learned
that the Associated Press correspond
ent on boad the hospital train was an
American.
And boom, boom, boom no good
either" he added. mimicking the roar
of battle. This man had lain wounded
for days with his feet in a half frozen
stream. When found he was more
dead than alive. Up to the time he
lost consciousness he said he must
have been lying out of doors for six
or seven days. All this time he heard
the screech and roar of shells pass
eXplodi ng about him. Anyone of
them, he said, would have been a
welcome end to his agony. But now
he was smiling and cheerful on his
way "home-" He did not know what
he could do when he OF there for he
had been horseshoer by trade and a
horseshoer without feet is not of much
account.
Complain of Treatment.
Some of the prisoners complained
bitterly of their treatment at the hands
of the Russians, but the more intel
ligent of the wounded soldiers de-
clared that while their lots had been
hard they realized the Russians had
done all they possibly could under the
circumstances. There were the days
of exposure on the battlefields which
could not be helped, the poor field
accomm odations for the wounded,
who had to be cared for in far greater
numbers than anyone had ever antici-
pated, and the hours of neglect due to
the fact that the doctors had more
work than they could possibly handle.
One prisoner said he lay on the
floor of house or stable for two days
and the only soft thing about him was
his own blood. His uniform had been
entirely shot away by the explosive
which had cost him a leg. Some of
the soldiers said they had been robbed
by Cossacks as they lay wounded in
the field, money and little trinkets of
jewelry being ruthlessly snatched from
trains said, for the wounded to turn
their pockets inside out as they lay
upon the frozen ground to show they
had nothing and thus escape a bayonet
prod.
Revived by Thoughts of Home.
There were two pitiful cases of
tuberculosis on the train. The sands
of life were fast running out of the
glass for one of these but he seemed
neared Trelleborg where the prisoners
were to be transferred to a German
hospital transport.
1T will be so good to get home"
he sighed.
But the poor devil never will get
there" said the doctor, for the prison
ers coming from Russia are kept out
side Hamburg for a month as rule
to guard against the importation of
any infectious disease. They are not
taken to Berlin, for it is said here the
Germans do not wish wounded men
on the streets of the capital.
The other prisoner far along in the
relentless grip of consumption, had
also suffered the loss of a leg. He
said he had a wife and three chill
dren at home and he did not know
how he could ever provide for them.
Praise Swedish Red Cross.
The Swedish Red Cross. has SPLEEN
didly organized the arduouS work of
transporting the prisoners between
Russia and Germany and every pris-
oner who has made the journey across
has been warm in his praise of the
comforts provided for him. Each
train is in charge of the surgeon of
cial nurses and orderlieS. Each train
is provided with an operating room
and whenever a serious operation is
deemed necessary the train is stopped
while it is performed. The govern
ments of Russia and Germany pay for
the expense of the transport of the
prisoners, the Red Cross handling all
the accounts. The journey is a long
one and the work of exchange is ex-
pensive. 1t is not SO expensive, how
ever, as continuing to care for the
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