The evening leader., 1918-12-04
TAKEN PRISONER;
LIFE IS SAVED
One of Those Weird Romances of
the Sea and the
War.
.YANk DOCTOR CHIEF figure
Favorite Bomb Shelter Wrecked While
He Is Captured by Germans When
on Voluntary Mission OF
Rescue.

American Bombing Base.-Dr. Albert
M. Stevens of New York, medical Off
Ger at this base, owes his life to the
fact that he was taken prisoner by the
Germans, while DR.. Harry J. Dooley of
chicago, successor to Doctor Stevens,
assistant surgeon, owes his liberty to
the fact that Doctor Stevens is a pris-
Oner.
j 1t is one of those weird romances
of the sea and war.
Word was flashed to the bombing
base one afternoon that seaplane
was down on the surface of the water
about thirty miles off the coast. A
fast motor boat, ready for such emer-
gencies, was, sent out. A surgeon al
ways accompanies such expeditions.
Doctor Dooley in ordinary circumstan-
ces would have gone. But Doctor Stew
ems was just retiring from the post,
and he thought the trip might do him
good.
Il think I'll go,'' he said to Doctor
Dooley. "It will be my last trip and
the journey will be something of a re-
lief"
He jumped into the boat and was
Off. There were six others aboard.
They reached the stranded seaplane in
a little under two hours. The flyers
men had got her into condition again
and were just ready to start off. They
left the motor boat and landed back at
the base in good time.
Shelled by Germans.
1t was dark. The surgeon, seeing
what he thought were lights of a town
near the base, headed the motor boat
in what he supposed the correct direc-
ton. They surged through the light
seas for an hour or more. They ap-
preached close to the supposed home
lights, when suddenly the scream of
a shell was heard coming straight at
them. 1t exploded directly in the back
of the boat. A second shell dropped
about two hundred yards in front.
"The Germans are shelling u.s." call
ed one of the men.
"Where are we?" asked the skipper.
They were under German guns. The
lights they thought their base lights
had been far off. They had been steer
ing straight toward German-held
ground.
Jump into the water!" commanded
the surgeon.
The men went overheard. Half q
minute later shell struck in the CEN
ter of the boat. 1t blew a great hole
in her and sank her.
A strong current was running up
the shore. Doctor Stevens and one 9th
er man, being strong swimmers, head
ed for the nearest point of land. They
reached the beach. They were drag
ging themselves through the surf and
had just reached the shallow water
when a squad of German soldiers
marched down the sands with drawn
bayonets and commanded:
Surrender! You are on German
territory"
Doctor Stevens and his companion
surrendered.
Meanwhile the other five men were
trying to make land. Two of them
headed down with the current, look
ing for any chance to make land. The
other three attempted shorter cut
by swimming the current at an angle.
One of this trio was drowned. The
other two got to land and were cap
tured by the Germans. The two men
who were left swimming in the current
were in weakened condition when two
British officers ashore made them out.
The Britons jumped into the surf,
swan out and dragged the men ashore.
They ran to telephone and called
the bombing base.
"We have two Of your men suffer-
ing from exposure and exhaustion.
Their boat was sunk by Germans and
two of the men taken prisoner" said
the voice.
Germans Raid Base.
Maurice M. Moore OF Washington, ID.
c., jumped into the camp jitney and
started for the place where the res
cued men were. He had to drive over
exposed roads, but he made the up
Journey safely, his car loaded with
blankets. He took the men aboard
and started home. Suddenly shells
began exploding in front of him and
back of him. But through the canopy
of bursting shells the"little jitney made
speed safely for more than five miles,
getting in without even a scratch.
Meanwhile the German bombing
planes started to raid the base. The
sound of exploding bombs dropping
around the air base was heard by Mr..
Moore even, before the automobile was
near home.
"Where is Stevens?" asked the ex-
ecutive officer, as the car drew up.
'"Taken prisoner by the Germans, ;
was the reply.
"Welb l guess he is lucky at that.
His pet place, in7~which he always
stands when the raiders come, was
blown to pieces half an hour ago."
i 1--WE have been wondering who is
the luckier of the two-Stevens or
noolox,v cold tha eyacl,tivn officer