Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-12-28


mans who were wearing the kilt, and
they all seemed very much surprised
that they should have been captured
while posing ny Scotchmen.
To put n stop to this spying II was
decided to close all roads for period
OF twenty-four hours. All men were
warned that from o'clock on such
and such a night until o o'clock the
following night they were not to leave
their units without the special pass
provided for these twenty four hours.
Sentries were placed 200 yards apart
on all the roads In the daytime and 100
yards at night. All these preparations
were made very quietly and the great
est secrecy preserved. l was detailed
with my car to patrol certain roads
during the twentyfour hours. and. OF
course, all the other roads were pa
trolled too. We had orders to stop ev-
cry one we met, and II they were not
provided with the special pass we were
To take them prisoners regardless OF
what uniform they were wearing. 1t
looked like tiresomc work, but II prov
ed to be rather exciting.
l started over my route promptly at
o'clock, and you may be sure was
all on edge to make capture. My
car was flying the flag of the army
corps headquarters. so I was not both
cred by the sentries stopping me.
went over the route the first time with.
out meeting a soul who wasn't quite
all right was much disappointed,
for thought would be picking up
spies Wholesale. On the second trip
began to think that I was going to
have about the same luck as l did on
the first, for everything seemed very
quiet and peaceful.
came to the village OF Herzeele and
turned into the road which leads to
Watou, and, as | said, ! was begin.
ming to be sick of my job. There was
rather sharp curve In this road. and
as | turned il saw by the light of
my electric headlights two men stand
ing I'm the middle Of the road. The
minute they caught sight OF my car
they started out across q field us hard
as they could go.
brakes. They didn't stop, 80 l pulled
my revolver and sent a couple of per.
suaders after them. That brought
them TO halt all right. and they start
ed yelling "Friendr at the top OF their
voices. ! twisted the searchlight on
my car around until the light shone full
on them. and then called to them to
keep their hands In the air and come
back Oh the road.
They didn't seem very anxious about
It. but | assured them II they didn't
would Gil them full OF holes. I GER
tainly felt fierce enough to do 1t. They
came up on to the road, and made
them stand one on ench side OF the
car. Then | noticed that one OF them
had on pair OF German soldiers
boots, and then | knew that had a
fish for sure. got out and searched
them, but they were unarmed.
What was worrying me was the fact
that in taking them back one OF them
would have to sit behind me In the
car. took Off my spare tires and put
them In the back Of the car, and with
the straps bound one fellows feet
and hands. piled him into the ton
neau and made the other sit In front
with me. | assured him II he made a
single move didn't like would
pump him full OF lead =. ID. ..
In this way l took them into camp
without accident. They were shot as
spies two days later. Our haul for the
twenty-fOur hours was thirty one spies,
and every one OF them was German.
One OF the most terrible things
ever witnessed was the destruction OF
the chateau at HODGE. The chateau
was In very peculiar position. being
on the dead ground between our trench.
es and the Germans Sometimes we
would hold 1t and sometimes they
would, and 1t offered great chances to
both for sniping.
Sometimes we held part OF It, and
they would hold the other part. Then
there was some great hand to hand
fighting. Our fellows In one room
would be digging holes through the
wall to pot at Germans I'm the next
1t was so close to our trenches that
we did not dare to shell II. and the
same thing applied to the Germans
1t was decided to mine the thing and
blow 1t Off the face OF the earth.
think the Germans had decided the
same thing, and It was simply case
OF who would get their mines laid first
We got the jump on them, and when
everything was ready our boys enticed
the Germans into II, and then the work
OF destruction started. | was sitting
on horseback behind some staff officers
We were about half a mile from the
place, but we had our ears stuffed
with cotton to prevent the explosion
from lnjurlng our hearing.
When the mines were set Off we saw
a sight such as one observes only once
In a lifetime. The earth trembled a
low, growing rumble ensued, then a
mighty crash, and the air was filled
with smoke, fame, bricks, dust, flying
bodies, heads, legs and arms Our fel.
lows let out mighty cheer and charg.
ell across the crater formed by the ex.
plosion. The Germans seemed stunned
by the awful sight they had witnessed
and we took several lines OF trenches
q -