The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-08-17
Dogs Refused Prison Fare.

logs ncTUSeQ FFtSon FaFcs
"Tt would be difficult to picture In
words the awful conditions prevailing
in that camp. Our diet consisted for
the most part of hot water and de-
cayed vegetables-they called 1t soup.
Sometimes we were given herbs mixed
with grass to eat. Under such treat
ment the strongest men soon fell sick
and were scarcely able to mov about.
The smell OF this soup often was so
~nauseating hat men held their noses
while eating 1t. Dogs would take one
sniff at 1t and refuse to eat.
At times the men became so des-
perately hungry that they caught and
ate rats and even a dog. Occasionally
we were given herring broth. made by
boiling whole, unclaimed behring's into
a thin liquid, the heads. bones and
scales of the fishes being served with
the rest. One of the prisoners was OPP
Grated on for appendicitis after his
transfer and four herring heads were
found lodged In his intestines.
II have seen prisoners. rendered half
insane by hunger. fighting among them
selves for bits Of food. If ones ra-
lions were stolen or taken from him by
force and he complained to the guard
the answer would be: why, are you
not all friends-allies7 Surely there
can be nothing to complain Of When
the neutral commission would visit the
camps the prisoners would be given a
short cut of frankfurter sausage and
a lump OF bread, so that II might ap-
pear that they were fairly well fed.
sawdust Bread.
"This bread contained all sorts of
stun. such as potato Feelings, straw
and sawdust. All prisoners were made
to sign papers indicating their willing
ness to work. II they refused TO sign
they were severely punished. The men
supposed that they were to engage In
farm work, but were sent to coal
mines, salt mines and munitions fac
tories. / refused to work In a NUM-
lions factory and was tied to a post
for three hours. One group OF pris-
oners who persistently refused to
work were told that they would be
shot and we're placed under a special
guard. At the end of IL days, during
which they ~momentarily expected to
be executed, they were told that their
lives would be spared.
"While In prison I slept on the same
cot for Is months and In all that time
the straw was not changed. When I
left the straw was as fine as dust and
alive with vermin. After Is months
at Altengrabow I was transferred to
Mersburg. After an exchange Of pris-
oners had been effected l was taken to
Constance, where l was provided with
a new suit of clothes and was well fed
and kindly treated for eight days be-
fore being turned over to the allies. I
suppose this was done in the hope that
In my new comfort and the JOY at be-
ing released / might forget the past.
"In Switzerland / was taken In
charge by the Red Cross and kept In
the hospital there for IA months. Had
the Germans given me proper treat
ment for my wound l would have re-
covered In a few weeks; as IL was.
after years Of neglect dirt, semistar-
walton and hard work. l was In such
condition when released that for a
time my life was despalred of. Even
now, after the best efforts OF the Red
Cross physicians and nurses, the left
side OF my face is partially paralyzed
and i can see but little with my left
eya.s