Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-04-05
NOT AS BLACK AS PAINTED.
Interesting Recital of Some Incidents
> In Life of War Prisoners.
Charleston Sunday News

|
about in the papers about the horrors
and inhumanities Of the European
war is mostly bosh. 1t all ain't us
black as it is painted. There is some
sunshine coming through the Clouds"
| said Edward Hubner, chief steward
OF the barkentine Marie, now in mort.
| "You would think from all the sto-
| rics they write that the soldiers hat, Il
| each other wosser than pisen. 'rain't
! so, bud, tain't so. They would make
you believe that they were ready to
gouge each others eyes out and kill
each other just for the love of kill
ing. 1t amt a word Of truth in it.
"Of course, the big folks at the
head has got their honor to preserve,
and they are getting the poor devils
to do it for them, but you misjudge
the soldiers If you think they relish
their tasks. They don't do it, my
boy. They are not cruel to each other
more than they can help. Of course,
it is cruel to kill a man, but they only
do 1t in the line Of duty. In time Of
battle they fight, and fight to kill, but
afterward they is sorry for the poor
wounded and dying soldiers. | know
what am talking about, for | was
prisoner Of war for nigh OH six
|
You want to hear about it, friend?
Well, on the second day OF November,
about 10 o'clock in the morning, we
was a-sailing along Off the Scottish
| coast. when. pouf!-just behind us
British cruiser was a-blowed up sky
high. Out rushcs some other British
! mcn-Of-war who were in the neigh
borhOod, to try and capture the Ger
| man submarine. They didn't see
any; only poor us, a-sailtng away
as fast as our sea legs will carry us.
They think as how we done it by
planting mines and they gave chase.
Presently they fires Il gun acrost our
bows for us to stop, and we stopped.
D-d quick.
"'rhey sent q boarding officer
aboard lis to see our papers, and he
says for us TO put back to the Scot
tish coast. Afterward they sent us to
Belfast, and then we are transferred
to Fleetwood. There a body Of sold
iers came down to the ship, a-march-
ing with fixed bayonets. They formed
semi-circle around the dock, so that
none of the prisoners could get away,
and told us to come ashore.
Gee, but it looked skittish then.
lit made my flesh creep. Then after
VIC "Clt All oh UliS snip CHGS ClOSpu
in around us and marched us down
to the prison.
"Afterward we were transferred to
Shrewsbury in a big car with big let
ters painted OH the car, Prisoners Of
War
"When we reached Shrewsbury the
commandment came out to receive us.
and in little talk told us that as
long as we behaved ourselves anu
Obeyed the prison discipling we
would have no trouble.
"Then he assigned each Of us to a
company Of prisoners, and we went to
barracks, where every man was given
a bed. feather pillow. three blankets,
toilet requisites. including hair brush
and comb. tooth brush, a half dozen
personal towels and table necessities,
knife. fork. spoon, etc We were
given a plenty to eat, three meals
day. The only restrictions were that
We were locked up at night, but the
doors were opened in the morning at
6 o'clock, and-.we could wander over
the reservation.
AT 10 O'Clock inspection was held
to see If we were all present. This
was done by number. My number
was 993. At inspection they also ex-
anrincd us to see If our clothes were
clean and sanitary. This was done to
avoid camp fever.
I'VE were not governed by British
soldiers at all. but by our own men.
| The cOmmmandant selected one out Of
each hundred and made him prison
ca plain. and he gave his orders di-
rect to the captain. He always Sc
lcctcd men who spoke English well.
! hnr ho mic Jor rot Il
! ing OF orders. And we were told to
obey our captains.
81 will tell you. bud, the biggest
surprise Of your life. Why, on the
kaiser's birthday they gave us hol-
| iday dinner, aud it was some dinner.
With extra cigars throwcd in. Think
Of it. my son, them helping us cele-
hrate the Kaiser's birthday and they
a-Sp0sod to hate him so. They done
il because they knowcd that the poor
prisoner would a-wantcd to celebrate
If they was free, and they was not
a-f tighten Of us prisoners. We sure
| did have some time that day.
| "And another thing the German
war department was allowed to send
rs anything That they wanted to that
was for our comfort and pleasure. If
| they sent it to us we got it, Great
| boxes would come up to the prison
every few days, marked. "From the
German Imperial Government. for
!hc prisoners Of war interned at
Shrewsbury And it would he open
cd aud the contents given to us.
eve could get all the mail that
was sent us after it was inspected to
sec that nothing contrary to the Brit
lsh regulations were contained. and
we got our post cards as soon as a