The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-11-23

caught in the regimental headuuar-
tiers. The regimental commander
wa among those captured, and it is
rep orted that his advent into the
British lines was a particularly hui
morous spectacle. He came tramp
ing back Tclad IN an elaborate fur
coat, followed by two servants who
carried more Of his f1nery. He was
swearing mad at the turn of events.
The sight of a company of British
cavalry threw him almost into
frenzy, and the lurid language that he
directed at the British drew smile
from even the hardened Tommy, who
has a somewhat picturesque vocabu-
larry of his own.
Civilians who were relea sed from
Masnieres told today something of
their experience in the last three days.
many of them weeping with JOY when
the subject of their deliverance was
brought up.
The mayor. M. Leslain, a middle.
aged man. acted as spokesman. They
first learned of the approach of the
British from machine gun fire in the
distance and with excitement watched
for the coming of their friends from
every vantage point.
They had their first sight of the ad-
vancing forces at the bridge head,
and saw coming with the attacking
troops strange. monsters THAT they
never dreamed existed. They were
the great tanks and the people stared
In amazement as thsse mighty en-
gines plowed their way forward.
Only $50 Germans were holding the
town. and all except a few left in the
cellars withdrew FIVE minutes before
the British entered.
With the civilians who greeted the
British were two German soldiers,
one from Alsace and the other from
Lorraine, who had deserted and were
waiting to give themselves up to the
British, with whom they sympathized.
During the three years of their
captivity the civilians were fed by
the American relief committee. All
other food was requisitioned by the
Germans, who placed heavy penalties
on those that concealed any. Many
persons served terms in Jail for al
legged violation of the orders.
The Germans stripped all the
houses of the town of their furniture
as soon as they entered. Among the
houses thus pillaged were five mag
nificent chateaus. All men. of mill
tary age were arrested and sent to
Germany. Women were compelled to
do all manner of work, such as
sweeping streets, washing clothes OF
German officers and waiting on Off
GERS.
The mayor declared his belief that
Germany was actually starving. He
said there seemed to be no doubt that
the civilians in Germany were un.
dergoing great hardships.
Among the most interesting Of the
refugees was a man of military age
who had hidden in a cellar for three
years to escape the Germans and had
been fed by his wife with an extra
she had a baby. This man is IS years
old and in the ordinary course would
have been arrested and sent to a
prison camp as soon as the Germans
entered the town. He did not want
to leave his wife and baby and so hid
In a secret place in the cellar, thereby
making himself, liable to the death
penalty IL detected. German officers
came to live in his house. and daily
he heard them trampinx about above
him In accordance with the custom.
this house and all others were searched
every little while to see whether any
one was concealed, but the Germans
never discovered his hiding place.
When the British entered the town
the wife. after making sure that they
were indeed British. went home and
brought out her husband, who had his
first glimpse of the outside world
since August. 1914.
This refugee seemed to be in fair
health. notwithstanding his confine-
ment. but his nerves were badly shat
tered and he wept continually as his
story was related. He was clinging
to a bag containing several hundred
francs which he had carried with him
into his cave.
Paris, Nov. 23-Another German
attempt to recapture ground taken by
the French in their recent attack on
the Aisne front was checked by the
French fire. the war office reports.
The statement reads:
Active artillery fighting continues
in the sectors of Cerny and Juvin-
court In this region our fire check
ed an enemy attack against the posi-
lions on our left which we captured
on Nov. Fl.
Our patrols in operations near the
Ailette brought back prisoners and
inflicted losses on the enemy. North
west of Rheims and in the Cham
payne raids on our small posts were
without result On the right bank
of the Mouse the artillery fighting
continued in a spirited manner during
the night There is nothing to re-
port from the remainder of the
front"