The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-07-13

4
dler became hungry during pause &
the marching and found a pig. COW o
lamb. he shot II. cut out piece for hi
own use. and let the rest spoil.
Under burning midday sun W
marched on amid clouds OF dust. alonl
q road used by munitions columns ans
other units. which never gave the dus
an opportunity 70 settle. In all IN,
fieIds which We passed. fugitiyes hat
set up their camps. where they lived
like poor homeless gypsies- Many cgms
up TO us and begged for scraps" d
bread
We marched Without resting TIL iats
In the evening and NJ about nine
O'Clock We approached the city hall
OF Somnepy. In and around So-a-
mepy a battle had started. We were
ordered TO take part OF the north
west section Of the city. II was al
ready DARK and once more we halted.
The 1elds all around US were covered
/ with dead. In the middle of the streets
were French batteries and munition
I columns. Horses and drivers had been
killed.
After tea-mlnute rest we started
again and In double-quick step APP
preached little forest. in which dis
mounted cavalry and infantry were
engaged with the enemy In desperate
hand-to-hand fight.
AS a subterfuge we threw ourselves
into the place with blooi-curdllng yells.
We succeeded In the darkness in reach
ing the enemies rear. The sorprise
attack was success and the French.
startled by our yells and by the at
tack. threw up their hands and sur
rendered. Mercy was not shown them
BY the infuriated cayalrymen.
Whenever there appeared 20 be any
letup OF the slaughter OF the dlsarmed
soldiers by our men new horrors were
enacted under the commands OF the
officers. who kept shouting. NO quar-
ter. slaughter everybody" Such were
the orders OK our distinguished on |
GERS We pioneers also had to take |
part ia this coId.bloOded murder OF un-
armed men. who had thrown down |
their arms when they realized the fu. |
tillty OF further resistance. Our off |
GERS took care this time. as in many
earlier and later Instances. that there
should not be many prisoners taken
The pioneer has a sidearm which
according 10 the law OF nations. must
not be used because the back OF this
sidearm consists OF ree-mlllinete-
sharp steel saw. In peace times the
pioneers are not drilled with the bayo-
net because this sidearm should be
used only for the special duties which
the pioneers perform-but the law OF
nations Is not the law OF prussian mill
tarism.
We were obliged to use the saw from
the beginning OF the war. II was In
opposition 10 all the laws OF humanity.
When an enemy had this saw In bis
breast and the victim had long since
stopped every effort OF resistance and
IN effort was made 10 try and remove
'taut and horrible death resulted.
oftentimes this horrible weapon be-
'ame embedded in the breast OF Vie
i'm so firmly that the attacker, who
lad to have back his sidearm again
would be obliged to place his foot upon
he breast Of his victim and.use all his
orce TO recover tile murderous instru-
nent.
The dead aud wounded In horrible
ondition lay all around rs. The means
4 the wounded men would have soft
ned stone but not the heart OF
russian soldier.
Not all the soldiers approved this
enseless. wanton murder. Some Of
hose officers who had ordered us 10
III the French were themselves killed
mistake in the darkness OF the night
, their own men, Such mistakes are
iili being repeated almost daily and
ould cite many names and places to
ear out this testimony.
On this particular nig~ a CAPTAIN
nd first lieutenant met their fate. A
scond-year infantryman stabbed the
lptain In the abdomen and the first
eutenant received a stab in the back.
9th died In few minutes. Neither
their slayers felt any renorse and
me OF Us felt inclined to reproach
en- We all kew that two murder
: had reeeivedrheir just deserts.
Another instance requires ne to run
mewhat ahead OF the sequence O, !
ents. As talked to a cornrads of f
company the next day asked him
r pocketknIfe and 10 reaching into
$ pocket he pulled out three car
dges- ! was surprised that he should .
Try cartridges in his trousers pocke:
d asked hin Il he had 10 room IN I
: belt.
Il have" he said. but these three
We a special mission. There are
mes Of the intended victims on these :
lets =
Some tine later after we hsd he
ne good friends asked him sss,n
ont the three cartridges He had
" one left ] thought about II
at deal and n my mind went over r
noncommissioned ofhcerx who. he +
e war was declared had treated n.
e animals and whom we had hated
oaly human aenis can be hsted
20 o< these had snuri shus~