Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-14
DEATH SENTENCE THAT
WAS NOT CARRIED OUT
corporal Passelow Escapes From
German Prison Camp and
Reaches London.
FEED HUNS ON TALsEHooDs
Scottish Soldier, Who Got Away
Before Bullet Was Fired, De-
clares Men in Ranks Don't Know
Progress OF Fighting.
WRITTEN By OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

"hil'IEH HI CORPORAL PASSELO".
International News BureauI
The sentence of the court Is that
you will be shot within four hours'
Strangely enough this decision of the
court-martial at Scnnclascr Camp.
Wcstphalia. did not dcprcss me in the
a toss
The court scene was the sequel to
my arrest on 4 charge of melting the
camp prisoners to mutiny. and the trial
till in the afternoon
For some amazing reason was re-
leased after being taken TO the con-
dcmned cell. and ordered TO rcstart
work. From that day till this have
never learned why the sentence was
not carried out.
IL was at Mons that I was captured.
When our battalion got the order to
retire party of thirty-four men COT
vhom was one), was, under the lead
c'ship OF Lieutenant Grey. detailed with
orders TO cover the retreat Our other
pals Got safely away, and we ourselves
began TO retire. But. not knowing our
hands OF the Germans. who By this time
were surrounding US.
remember well the astonishmcnt Of
our German captors when they learned
that they had been held up by hand
full OF Britishers.
AS prisoners of war NC were taken
TO SennelaEer Camp. in Wcstphalia
which was just d rough plot Of sandy
ground, surrounded by barbcd wire
with sentrics every few yards
Later VIC built n few ruts ourselves
and when the Germans began to cap
sure clothing from the French. VIC were
served out with Il. While erecting the
huts ] have seen our chaps go twelve
hours At stretch with no other food
than a drink OF coffee.
Even this was not enough for the
brutal German guards. who seemed de-
tcrmined to break our spirits For the
slightest p-ovocation our lads were tied
TO A pos, ana whipped Lnmercitully
kicked and hit just like dogs and. fol-
lowing this. would get dose Of The
dark cells.
have known cases whcro our lads
have been kept without food for days
after which they have been tied 10 a
tree. and food put tantalizinEly in
front OF them but. e course. on,ircl;,
beyond reach.
FORCED To WORK
~ IRON FOUNDRY
have worked on road-makinE
helped on farms and made stoves and
hcld cookers in big iron foundry
OF course. this was all forced labor
For refusing 10 DO some war work /
was sent 10 rSnishncnt camp. after
which ! was sent TO work in :, papcr
mill. My guard did not hesitate to
use his bayonct when showed signs
OF Stacking.
II vas months before had n bath
and when did get one /, was prac-
tically without soap. We had TO march
past a German soldier. who held a
stick in his hand. on the end OF which
was a piece of black soap. AS each
Tommy passed nc was struck on the
head with the stick. and If he was
lucky he got some soap. 4 bath after
this method left one much worse than
before.
The women OF Germany have no
option Of work or play: they are
forced to work. At one factory where
/ was II was 4 common thing for wo-
men TO drop down exhausted from
given my food TO them when have
been almost starving myself Their
condition cut me TO the heart.
When We have been leaving work
for the day have seen rows of these
German workwomen lined up at vari-
Gus points We had 10 pass 10 go back
to camp. and plead for brad Each
of these women received o. the week
end one pound Of meat. which they
had TO make sufiice for themselves and
family. When working in the fields
children have come homo crying to
US for bread and Juggling at our coats.
They were usually roughly handled by
our armed guards.
SHOT FOR TRYI,.- TO
ESCAPE FROM ENEMY CAMP
Shortly afterwards was put to
work in another camp, where the pris-
oners comprised Russian, French,
British and Belgian soldiers One day,
when working near n large wood in
company with some Russian soldiers.
one OF the latter tried to escape. The
distance to the edge of the wood was
A sprint Of about 100 yards. and if you
reached that there was reasonable
chance Of escape, for it was a very
thick wood
The Russian chose his moment we'll.
He waited until our guard came to the
extreme end of our line to inspect our
work. and while he had his back
turned to the other end where the
Russian was the latter bolted.
At the same moment the guard hap
pcned to turn round and saw his pris-
oner fleeing. Without more ado he
raised his rife and took aim. Like
a log the Russian dropped. and when
we fetched him in he was dead.
Tho Same night the prisoners were
collected together and given a lecture
by the commandant OF the camp on
what would happen if any of us at
tempted to escape.
In spite of all this. ! was resolved
upon an attempt to escape, and
Frenchman promised TO come with me.
For months we planned our escape in
all its details. and at last the night
for the attempt arrived.
OF course. all our comrades knew OF
our attempt, and aided us by making
al much noise as they could in rea-
sonablc way by playing mouth organs,
conccrtinas etc.
At last we managed to cvadc the
guards. We made straight for wood
and Law down. AnYiouSIv We wa oh n