The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-23
TWO HUNDRED
LIVED IN CELLARS
Old People and Children Who Remain
ed In chateau-Thierry After
the Germans Took
Town.
SIX WEEKS OF MISERY
Nothing to Eat Except Few Vegetables
Which Huns Did Not Care
for Them
selves.
SIX WEEKS OF MISERY
by Frank J. Taylor, United Press

by Frank ]. Taylor, United Press
Staff Correspondent
CHATEAU-THIERR July e.
(night)-'Ah, les Americans! They
are fine boys, brave. When we re-
build our city 1t will always be
home to Americans. We will be
proud to make them welcome"
Thus spoke the aged Leon Toison
a councilman of Chatea u-Thierry,
who refused to leave the town when
the Germans captured It. Although
Toison is eighty-two years old, he
took charge of the city affairs and as
sisted in every way possible the two
hundred" as the survivors of six
weeks Of Boche domination are
known. ;NNM
I interviewed Toison this after.
non. He Is a small man, slightly bent,
but vigorous and bright-eyed. We
stood among the battered ruins along
the main street. Not building left
standing was inhabitable here We
were behind barricade erected by
the Germans, who had used boxes,
earth, refuse of all kinds and cob
blestones, torn from the street.
when the Germans were coming
We were advised TO fee at once, but
scouldn't bring myself to do it." said
Toison. I've seen Chateau-Thierry
captured by the Germans tire times.
The first in 1870. was wounded dur
ing the fighting then. The next was in
1914, the first invasion of this war.
The last was six weeks ago.
Most of the others evacuated, but
the two hundred" decided to stay.
Many of the old folks would have
been unable to leave anyway. There
were about dozen children and a
few middle aged people, but most of
us we're pretty old.
During the bombardm ent we lived
in caves and cellars, without havinr
enough to eat and without knowing
where to get anything. We were
buoyed up by the hope that Chateau
Thierry again would be French.
Meantime, our houses were crumb-
ling over US. The Germans ordered
us to stay in our cellars except when
we were permitted to leave. Not hav-
ing sufficient food themselves, they
ordered the old men out every day to
bring vegetables from the fields, be-
hind Germans lines Then the sol
diers would come and take away
practically all we brought in. We had
no bread, no fats, no wines, and were
struggling to live on the few vegeta-
bles the Germans left us. The Ger
mans did not abuse US, except by
taking everything they wanted, with
out paying a single sou and by carry
ing off everything they fancied.
II was unable to estimate the num-
Der of Germans in Chateau-Thierry,
owing to the restrictions, which did
rot permit US to move etout much.
Everything was 'verboten.'
Many older people were feeble and
sick. The rest sought to assist them,
but could not do much through hav.
ing no food. Finally we obtained a
little of the Germans black bread 1t
was as hard as wood.
1T was miracle that all of us
lived through the six weeks of Ger
man control, with shells bursting ev-
erywhere, buildings tumbling down
and Germans, officers and men alike,
taking our food.
Finally, on Saturday evening the
Germans ordered all the Inhabitants
into the cathedral We crouched
there fearing big shell might end
us all. We even anticipated being
shot, since the Germans continually
are suspicious of us old folks. We did
not fear death. but trembled for the
children.
Early Sunday morning our soldiers
arrived. We then got the first news
of Americans-their fighting. how
they forced the Germans backward.
when the first American soldiers
arrived, everybody that could shook
hands with the fine boys. We kissed
them, too. for are they not our grand
children also"