Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-16
As TO WHEN
AMERICANS WILL APPEAR
(rman Military Authorities OHer
Reward for Production OF
First Prisoner.
ley WANT HIM DEAD OR ALIVE
formation Disclosed In Diary Of
RUSSIAN Sergeant-It Also De.
scribes Destruction Of Important
Industrial Town by Teuton Forces.
IBy Associated Press. ]

BRITISH II h a d Q U y X 7 i: r IN
;ANCE AND BELGIUM. September
German military authorities OIL
western front have shown concern
out the imninence of the American
nY's entry into the fghtirg by Of
ms rewards for the production OF
first American prisoner. The gen.
a commanding the Eleventh Reserve
vision recently put the price Of 400
ought. dead or alive. Into his lines.
This information has been disclo9ed
the diary of Il Pruss!an sergeant
the Twenty-th!rd Reserve Infantry
giment. lie wrote at the end OF
Ily:
I'VE are supposed to have had Amer
fns opposite US for some time now,
d two divisions OF Portuguese, on
n right. The man who brings III tho
fst American. dead or alive. TO head
arters has been promised the Iron
Joss of the first class. 800 marks and
irteen days leave from the division
AIRY COVERS PERIOD
OF NEARLY TWO MONTHS
[rhe diary. which covers IL period OF
Farly two months. describes In detail
p destruction OF an important indus
al town by the Germans. and its
BY German army
Emmander into great mass of fortI-
Id ruins. Batteries have been plant.
In tho cellars of private houses.
Ertories and public buildings. which
I've been partly demolished to give
heftar "a Ave-. ,t,htI IN
teets and squares. and even the city
|metery. have been torn UP and en-
l,shed with wire 10 provide positions
e groups of machine guns.
The diary describes how the troops
.artered in the city spent their time
hen not on duty in firing machine
ms from the barricadcd windows and
e roofs of buildings left standing.
id in searching for hidden treasure
ID in digging among the ruins for
lverware.
aTHEDRALS SACKED AS
WE'LL AS OTHER BUILDINGS
THE sergeant tells how his friends
Sund gold watches and priceless
intinss from tho museums. statuary
Id other works OF art which they are
,arding in their dugouts. The ca
'edrals were sacked. as we'll as the
her public buildings. The German
thorities have removed the bulk Of
|e municipal and ecclesiastical valu-
les TO Germany. but many Of the
habttants who were cvicted from
leir homes at a few hours notice
ben the city was cleared before its
Istruction had no opportunity to re-
''ove their private possessions and
led to hide them. The German SOL
ers. 1t seems. were eager to serve
st. Quentin because OF the chances
r treasure hunts" there.
The diary does not indicate sny
|arked depreciation Of the German
Iorale. but emphasizes the discomfort
the conditions OF life In the field
"a the terrible accuracy of the
rench gunncrs. who give the Ger
ans no rest.
ION the Flanders front during the
Est few days the only activities have
ben slight outpost engagements. The
Surttemberg infantry succeeded in
Bkins a few small British posts on
be north bank of the stream called
Ae Broenbeck. east OF Langcmarck.
Jusing the British to fall back TO the
apostle bank. where main defenscs
he established. On the other hand.
ie British have pushed forward their
Ihe east OF ST. Julien.