The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-06-15

anu fNVu ~ 4 Lsu hHu SNtArfn4lx 70
hammer with. the noise would have
made the method imprac,lcShls.
| wen, on digging. When the total
distance between the live wire and the
bottom 0f the hole hAd dug vas
thirty inches. took bold ~ the ground
wire and pulled on II With all ny
strsngsh
II wouldn't hudge. II WAS stretched
taus aSrrss the narrow ditch l had
dag ahout fonr-een inches wide
and al tie tuxging ditnt serve 70
loosea H.
sxs Jnss about to give up In de-
spair when staple gave way Ia the
nearest post, That enabled rne 10 pull
the wire through the ground little
aud ] renewed my EFFORTS. After a
moment or two of pulling as had
never pulled in my life before. a
staple on the next post gave way,
and nay work became easier. had
mere leeway now snd pulled and
pulled sg4in until In all eight staples
had given way.
Every time a staple gave way. II
sounded In my ears like the report Of
gun although ! suppose IL didn't
really make very much Noise Never.
theless. zach time I would put my ear
10 The ground TO listen for the guard
II heari him l would stop working
and he perfectly still In the dark tsll
be had gene by.
f4ss -. Y
slAe "a drag II through the ground
enough 10 place 1; hack from tie
fence snd 81 on digging
The deeper went the harder De-
came the work because ty this time
my finger nails were broken and
WAS nervous afraid every moment
that would touch the charged wire.
kept ~ il. however. with my mind
constantly on the hole vas digging
and the liberty which was almost With
In my reach
Finally figured that l had enough
space to crawl through and sun leave /
a couple u lrches between my hack 1
and the live wire.
Before ! went under that wire no /
tice1 that the lace which the Belgian 4
womaD had given me as a souvenir
made nay pocket bulge. and lest IL
rliSAt be the innocen. means OF elee.
trcSuiing me by touching the live wire,
] fcck il out. rolled II up and threw II
over the barrier nrsI
Then ! lay down on my stomach and
era @ied or rather wfithei under the
wire Ike a snake. with my feet first.
and there wasn't any question of my
nCSs'ns mother earth a. closely as
possible because | realized that even
10 touch the wire above me with my
back meant Instant death
Anxious as was 10 get on the other
side. didn't hurry this operation l
fearei that there might be some little
detail that had overlooked and | er-
arclsed the greatest possible care in
ro.lS UNDER. taking nothing for
granted
When finally 60, through ani
'tr@l sa,eoei Up. there were st.ll sew
sTsi feet Of Belgium between me and
.sTT;y. represented b. the six feet {
which separated the electric barrier {
'-ua the last harbed wire fcnce. but {
lefo1e went smother step ] wsnt 4
ioun on my knees and thanked God t.
or my long series OF escapes and es-
s-ci2lly for this lass achievement.
rAich seemed 20 ne 70 he about all
-, vas Necessary 10 bring me free
,ora
Then I crawlei under the harb~i
ire fence and hrestAed the free air II
Holland. had no clear idea Just
: here ! was and didn't care mach
vas or of the p1Ner Of the Germans
nd that Was enough ! had walked
~Thaqs 4 hundred yards. when / re-
selnterea the lace had thrown over
H. barrier. and dangerous as ! real
-. the Undertaking 70 te. l deter.
aimed 20 walk tack and set IL. This
etessi;a,ed my going hack onto Bel
.er soil sgAin. bgt II seemed a shame
D leave the lace there. and by exer-
sing \ little curs | figured | could
Z i EASILY enough
Nhen cane 10 the SPOT AZ which l
"a made my way under the ta-tet
ire. ! pat ny ear 70 the ground and
stened for the sen;ry. heard him
suins 1nd lay prcue on the ground
J b had passed. The fact tha; be
leht observe the hoie in the ground
: the ladder occurred 70 me - lsy
lere. and u seemed Ike sn age be-
lre he finally nsrched cut OF ear
iot Then ] wen; under the bsrbed
he aszin- retrieved the lac and once
z1in made ny way to Dutch terri
~.
II dos Dot take long 10 descrs.ss re
eats lust referrei 20. bat the ind
.nts themselves consumed several
an tn all To dig the hole AUST
.ve taken ne uone than tso hours .
a I had - stop frpgsently % hide
hiie the sentry passed May tines.
ed ihoushi heard hin coning
a sfoSSed ny ~o<k and thea dis
vered that il was only my magma
n certainly suffered enough that
-f- 20 last ne A lifetime With