Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-08-11
CHAPTER XIX.
German prIsen Camps.

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10 the barbed wire fence some Of the
German officers came TO the barracks.
and one Of them who spoke very good
English said: "Ail OF the neutrals who
were ON unnrmed ships step out"
Only few stepped out.
Then he called for all the neutrals.
and the Danes. Swedes. Norwegians,
Brnzilinns and SpanIards stepped out.
But when I did. he said. "No. not
Americans. Americans are not neu.
trnl. America supplies our enemies
with food and ammunition" He raised
his nst. and thought he was going 20
hit me. but instead he gave me a
shove that caused me 20 fall and get
little cut on the head. Then the
sentries pushed me over with the
British and the French.
After that they took the Norwegi.
ans. Swedes and Danes to separate
barracks. and gave them clothes and
beds and the same ratlons nv the Ger
man soldiers. When I saw this !
made kick and said was neutral.
too. and ought 10 get the same treat
ment as the Scandlnavians. They took
me to the officers again. kicked me
about and swore at me. and the only
answer I got was that America would
suffer for all she had done for the nl-
lies. Then was sent back TO the bar
rncks again.
The next day ut about one o'clock
they took w from the barracks and
drilled us through the swnmps. The
men began to fall one by one. some
crying or swearing. but most Of them
going along without n word. Those
who went down were smashed In the
hend with rifle butts or belts.
Finally we arrived nj a little rail-
road station. and had To stand In the
snow for over nm hour while the en-.
gine ran up and down the tracks hook
Ing on cars. When we finally got In
the cars we were frozen stiff. could
hardly walk. and some OF the boys
simply could not move without intense
|
pain.
They loaded twelve men into each
compartment, and detailed guard of
six men 20 each ear. The windows in
the cars were all smashed, and every
thing about the cars was dirty.
Finally the train stopped at town
named Alt-Dnmm. aud there was q
mob Of women and children around,
ns usml. ready for US with bricks aud
pit. They stoned us through the cnr
windows. and laughed and jeered at
us. but by this time we were so used
10 II that we did not mind much. Only,
every now and then some fellow
would get all he could stand. and
either talk back or make u pass at
somebody. Then he would get his
either n bnyonct through the arm OF
leg. or crash ON the head with gun
hut.
After an eighteen hour ride. with.
out food or drink. we arrived ut Ncu-
strelltz. 1t was raining MS we pulled
In. As we went IN the grade 10 the
town we could see lights about mile
away. aud we figured thai that was
the camp. The ruin stopped and we
remained In the ears for some time.
'phen, after while, we knew our ne,.
guards werc comlug; LONG hcfcre ve
Z nd see them we could hear me-
racket thcs mas.e. Somchnw Ger
man cannos 90 anything sh'nstrre
aud neatly. but always has 20 have n
lot Of noise, and running around, and
general confusion. Four-footed swine
are more orderly In their habits than
the Huns.
When they came up, we were roust-
ed from the cars and drilled up the
road to the camp. When we got near
the German barracks we were halted
and counted again. and made TO stand
there for at least an hour after they
had finished counting us, shlverlng
like leaves. At last they placed us In
barracks. and those who could went
to sleep.
There We're about forty barracks In
the Limey group ut Neustrelltz and
two large Zeppelin sheds. The bar
racks were just about like those at
SwInemunde-at least, they were no
better. Along the sides Of the rooms
were long shelves or benches, and
every three feet were boards set In
grooves. The shelves were what we
had to sleep on, and the boards in the
grooves divided them up so that only
n certain number Of men could use
each bench.