Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-02
HORRORS OF SEVEN HUN
PRISON CAMPS DESCRIBED
British Soldier, Who Escaped, Re.
lates Thrilling Experiences and
Tells Of Awful Hardsliips.
MEN HERDED LIKE CATTLE
Hunger Makes Men Desperate, and
Many Trade Their Clothing for
Bite of Brend--Cruei Abuse by
German Officials and Guards.

tPriyate Thomas Robson. OF the
Faithful Durhams." after being kept
prisoner In various Germun war
tempt In making his escape over the
frontier. Private Robson. who was
miner before the war, has been in
seven different prison camps. includ-
ing Munster. the terrible punishment
camp at Bergstenfurt Koslin, noar the
Baltic. which necessitated journey
through Berlin; NIinden Lager, where
he made his first unavalIng attempt
to escape. and Lark. n camp on the
Rhine. from which he eventually made
his successful dash.)
BY PRIVATE THOMAS ROBSON.
International News Buresu.I
need not repeat history. Every one
knows how VIC "contemptibles" had TO
fight in those days with bare fists and
tin can bombs against the Hun ma
chino guns. They took us prisoners
and made ua move from one place TO
another for about two weeks OF
course. most OF the time we did not
know where We were. Finally:
You arc going into Germany" was
the welcome We got one Wednesday
morning. where you will get what You
deserve"
We were still In filthy condition.
but our csntors seemed 10 take a de-
light In our Notwithstanding appcar
ance. After a short march we reached
tho station. where We were pushed and
1ostled into cattle trucks and horse
boxes. which had never been cleaned
Between forty and nifty men wero
packed In these trucks, and the ven
tiiation was very bad There wa,
hardly room TO stir. and 1t was aImos,
impossible to lie down. we were also
In terrible emaciated condition and
some OF tho boys in my carriage wer.
loo weak to stand. whenever env ~,
Inc ooys became limp they slid ia ,bo
dirty floor, and before lonp tho no
oor,ty OF US were down. som. ,y;,r
WIN their legs over their comr,dos
ana clothes sitting In huddled.,,
position. supporting themselves nv
icaning on their comrades. Wa wore
packed In like aardincs on both sidn,
OF the trucks was small sn,co
through which We were able 10 pet !,
ueceht View OF the country. but %.
"ere AFRAID TO show our heads ahoyo
'hc narrow aperture. because. ~ ~.
pahscu through populous Villages W.
were always greeted with stone, and
iuooish. which were flung by Tho sol.
a'efs on tho railway sdings.
RED CROSS HUN NURSES
NEFuSED SOLDIERS WATER
Hos iar out OF q station we ran into
"unioer or German troops, who frcd
81 kinos OF missiles at us. One ~ onr
ooss was looking through the narrow
BIT IN the truck. and for some reoso,
or hnother / was tempted 10 null him
away. l had hardly done so before !
heard the whizz OF a bullet. which
came right through the opening and
went out the opposite side.
IL wa. at Cologne got the rudes,
shock OF my lifc
oh tho platform saw large batch
OF German lied Cross nurses. W.
naturally thought that from thes.
women we would receive kind treat.
mont, but we didn't
Tho doors Of the trucks were onenod
at Cologne. and we were thankfu, n
get the fresh air. AS we stood bud-
died together In our "dens," these Ped
Cross nurses called us English pigs"
and pointed to the weakcgt of our men
ana tncn DurSt out laughing
German officer came on the plat
form. and, finding he could understand
our language. we asked him liz he could
let US have a drink of water This
officer sought some OF the Red Cross
nurses to get us water, but they seemed
unwilling 10 obey the order. The off,
Ger repeated his order in stern man
ncr. and this had tho desired effect.
These women cannot insult the
Red Cross by describing them as
nurses-certainly brought tine water,
but very few OF us got It,
Some OF the women actually poured
the water on the permanent way.
whilst one OF them actually spat in the
faces of our men. who would have
given all they 20 assessed to moisten
their parched throats
Then there was the ordeal of having
been offered water. only 20 nna, on
ones hand being extended, the con
tents of the pail dashed ih-o ones face.
I saw. in fact. one woman place
pot Of water so that it would touch
the hands OF s prisoner. and then
wrench It away a gain and pitch the
contents away.
PIECE OF BLACK BREAD IND
COFFEE, ONLY FOOD OFFERED
IT was relief when we moved Off.
On the journey we were at last pro-
vided with piece of black bread and
drink of coffee. which I may say tasted
treat, though. mind you, the stuff was
vile.
Our long fast, however, seemed to
make tho rations taste sweeter.
Then nighttime came. we got down
the best we could. We oil lay huddled
together in the pitch darkness for
warmth, but very few Of us were able
to sleep because of the cold.
We were glad when dawn arrived for
the light OF the day seemed 10 brighten
us up q little bit We did not stop I'M
til about noon the next day.
Eventually we arrived at some out
of-the-way station. and for the first
time we were allowed to leave our
loathsome "dens." We were each given
a bowl of soup. This was the Irst hot
meal we had. barring the coffee.
BROUGHT OUT OF TRUCK TO
BE EXHIBITED TO ANGRY MOB
outside the station was bridge,
upon which stood hundreds of Germans,
who yelled and jeered Mt rs and fro.