Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-31
CHANCE SHELLS KILL
SEVERAL SOLDIERS IN
PERSHINC'S Army
One Officer, Captain Kingman,
Was Shot In Breast by
American by Mistake
By j. W. Pegler

With the American Army in France
Jan 30.-(Delayed)-Fiv American
soldiers have been killed recently by
chance shells, according to announce
ment today.
The only American officer included
in the lise of recently wounded men is
Captain Kingman-who was shot in
the chest at close range by an Amerl-
can soldier, who mistook him for a
boche in the night. Captain Kingman
was crawling over No Man s Land in
night reconnaissance, and in the
darkness an American soldier on the
firing step of the trench thought he
might be an enemy: Discovering his
mistake, the Sammy hurried out and
helped carry the wounded officer in.
All the shells which claimed these
victims exploded in trenches and sup
port areas. One Of those killed was an
/ interpreter, an ex-cook at the Black
stone hotel in Chicago,
He was accompanying a colonel on
an inspection tour of the trenches and
was blown up by shell as he stood
at the very entrance to the colonel s
dugout. The colonel had just entered
underground. The interpreter was close
{ behind and was in the act of descend
ing the steps when struck.
The colonel rushed up to find his
companion mangled and dead.
| On one other recent occasion large
shell screamed through the air and ex-
lp1oded in the center of knot of Sam
mics Three were instantly killed and
two were wounded.
This was several days ago. An ambu-
lance was called ont of the dim, mis-
| ty dawn and rushed the wounded men
six miles to the rear of the trenches,
where the field hospital is located.
There orderhes hurried out and ten
derly lifted the stretcher bearing the
men maimed inside
4 One stretcher carried q soldier from
Washington state, apparently about 20
years of age. He was taken to the
operating room, where the white robed
surgeons saw at a glance that he had
only one chance in million to sur
vive.
An operation was quickly decided up
on. The soldier had frightful shell
wound in his abdomen. Despite every
care the boy died within fifteen min
utes after his arrival.
Surgeons carefully placed this sol
dier s belongings in an envelope for
return to his parents. They included
three photographs One was apparently
that Of little sister of the dead man.
The girl was leading three big horses
to drinking trough.
Another American soldier recently
wounded was sergeant from Winches-
ter, Tenn. He was crawling in a shall
low trench at daylight when he came
within sight of an enemy sniper. The
boche promptly plugged him in the
shoulder.
"'The shot bowled me over into a
deep water filled shell hole, - the ser
geant said today. my captain pulled
me out or | would have drowned
"The minute | got out ] reached for
NV pistol but found my right arm was
helpless. Then | turned my belt around
and grabbed my pistol with my left
hand.
4 81 wanted revenge shot at that
sniper but | couldn't discover him.
i m all right II be back in the line
soOn.'
One boche shell, the other day
struck a cook shack in a battered lit
tie town within support area. A cook
who at that moment was baking :
birthday cake for an officer, was in
stantly killed.
Seventeen men in all have been
wounded recently, but Of these six
were reported to have suffered aeci.
dental injuries.
One trooper from New York city
emerged from the trenches today with
frcst bitten feet-and yet smiling
through his mud caked hair
''I'n bet III catch the dickens for
! gettin- my feet frosted, he said
iH'What' s become Of all those tobacco
funds we read about being raised all
over the United Statesl For God s
sake, give q fellow cigarette
lhaven 4 had q smoke in fifteen DAYS.