The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-06-03

J OO-
feelings that l was going to be
My determination not to groan
never left me, although I thought at
times that L had reached the limit
of my endurance. At last a voice,
which seemed to be miles away, said
seven and 1 thought that my tor
ture was over. -...
My hands were unfastened, and I
was able to stagger along assisted by
two warders to a cell. There saw
that rough preparations had. been
made for treating my wounds. I was
laid face downwards on a plank, and
my back was sponged with warm wa
ter to remove the blood. Then, held
down by two warders, third rubbed
handfuls of salt into the naked
wounds. 1 could have writhed in my
agony, but the warders frightened
their grip on me and held me firmly
flor about five minutes, which seemed
like an eternity. This barbarous
method was employed to stop further
bleeding, and-to assist in rapid heal
ing.
Twas still very weak and tired the
next morning when once again I was
led out to the open space where on
the previous day 1 had been flogged.
Now, however, was to be one of the
crowd of spectators of Prussian bru-
tally. The Prussians had evidently
decided to make a, great example of
KeQlenki, for all the prisoners and a
very large number of workers had
been assembled to witness the fog
ging.
Then the officer recounted the
! crimes of the Hungarian in a loud
voice, and told that he had been SEN
fenced to 80 lashes each day and
that the death penalty had been pass
ed.
The sound of the Prussian's voice
seemed to arouse Keplenki. He
looked around, Strengthened his back,
, and I thought was preparing himself
for the whipping. His eyes were
bullying from his head, and there was
froth on his lips Suddenly he gave
a sharp twist, jerked his hands, and
was free from the post, the cord
which had held him having snapped
under the strain
A Mailman at Bay
Before the guards could seize the
prisoners he was kneeling upon the
body of the Prussian officer, his
hands round his throat, choking the
very life out of him. Then as the
guards made to pull aim off, the
Bulgar pulled at the officer, and then
smashed his head against the stone
sets of the yard, breaking the ott1c-
er's skull. Then he turned to race
the men who vainly tried to secure
him, kicking and biting like savage
beast. Soon the struggle was over
Although possessed of the strength o.
a dozen men in his madness, Keplen
XII was overpowered and dragged bact
to the whipping post.
Once again he broke away, bu
only for a second. Loudly he laugh
ed at his tormentors, calling dow1
curses upon them. With his hands
in irons behind his back, his feet Sc
c,rrely dashed with cords, he was plac'
ed with his back against the post ant
tied up. An officer, who had beef
the witness of the scene, finding tn
prisoner securely tied, walked bold,
towards him. For a few moment
he stood staring at the Hungarial
screaming in his derTrium, and ther
drawing his revolver, he~took deliber
ate aim and shot him through tn
head.
The sudden madness of the Hun
garian attended as it was by trag1
results, caused something akin to con
.sternation amongst the guards VIII
were in charge of the assembled pris
oners and workers. The prisoner
were hurried away from the seen
and marched back to-the cells.
After something like an hour ha
oil
several others to the shop, where, a
far as I knew, 1 was to spend seve
years.
Faint at Work
After 1 had been in the shop thre
weeks or so, doing various Jobs,
my surprise found fellow Bavaria
working along side me. He was or
of the men who had come with m
to Krupps, and not unnaturally I we
delighted to find him again. Hal
PLY he was not like myself a pri
oner, but a so-called free agent
That is, he lived outside the work
and after hours was free to do muc
as he pleased.
We worked side by side for sever
days, during which time 1 was alb
to tell him at various intervals n
1ull anu IneH, 10 nOTTO
the man disappeared from the sho
I dared not inquire what had becon
of him, and for weeks I lived in su
pense, all the while plotting and pla1
ming means of escape.
One day I fell beside my lathe in
dead faint. When I recovered CO
seriousness I found myself lying
bed in the prison hospital, a poor
Fisher III h11t aloe
in so far as comfort was concerne
a paradise when compared with t
cells.
Free at Last!
After I had been walking about t
ward for few days 1 had one of t
greatest surprises of my life. 1t W
on bright, sunny morning in Oct
Der that the Commander of the p
son. accompanied by Madame Wa
burg the spy-woman and the doct
came into the ward.
They walked directly up to n
and the woman spy spoke to me.
Karl Klupke," she said, you ha
been an unutterable fool. You ha
had a great opportunity at Esse
and you have wilfully thrown it aw;
You should count yourself the M
lucky man alive today. Another {
portunity is offered you The HI
Governor here will bear me out
the offer 1 have to make to you. Y
you tell me now what you know
the associates of the man Keplenl
Your reward will be great"
Madame" 1 said, ION my hon
can tell you nothing, for I KIN
nothing that is not already kno
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