Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-11-20

1
cling. Every mile or two would make
my way carefully to the barrier to see
| if conditions were any better, but it
seemed to be the same all along. felt
| like a wild animal in a cage, with
| about as much chance of getting out.
The section Of the country in which
I was now wandering was very heavily
wooded and there was really no very
great difficulty in keeping myself con-
| cealed, which did all day long, striv-
| ing all the time to think of some way
in which I could circumvent that
cursed barrier.
The idea of a huge stepladder oc-
Cured to me, but searched hour after
hour in vain for lumber or fallen trees
out of which could construct one. If
I could only obtain something which
would enable me to reach a point
about nine feet in the air it would be
comparatively simple matter to
| jump from that point over the electric
fence.
Then I thought that perhaps could
| construct a simple ladder and lean it
against one of the posts upon which
| the electric wires were strung, climb to
the top and then leap over, getting
over the barbed wire fences in the
same way.
This seemed to be the most likely
plan and all night long sat construct
ing a ladder for this purpose.
I was fortunate enough to find a
number of fallen pine trees from ten
to twenty feet long. selected two Of
them which seemed sufficiently strong
and broke off all the branches, which
1 used as rungs, tying them to the
poles with grass and strips from my
handkerchief and shirt as best
could.
1t was not a very workmanlike
looking ladder when I finally got
through with it. / leaned it against
a tree to test it and it wobbled consid-
| erably. It was more like a rope lad
der than wooden one, but strength
ened it here and there and decided
that it would probably serve the pur-
pose.
| 1 kept the ladder in the woods all
| day and could hardly wait until dark
| to make the supreme test. If it proved
| successful my troubles were over {;
within a few hours I would be in a
neutral country out Of all danger. If
1 failed-I dismissed the idea sum-
marily. There was no use worrying
about failure; the thing to do was to
| succeed.
| The few hours that were to pass
before night came on seemed endless,
| but I utilized them to reinforce my
ladder, tying the rungs. more securely
with long grass which picked in the
woods.
At last night came, and with my
| ladder in hand made for the barrier.
| In front of it there was a cleared
| space of about one hundred yards,
which had been prepared to make the
work of the guards easier in watch
| ing it.
I waited in the neighborhood until I
| heard the sentry pass the spot where 1
was in hiding and then I hurried
| across the clearing, showed my ladder
under the barbed wire and endeav-
ored to follow it. My clothing caught
| in the wire, but 1 wrenched myself
clear and crawIed to the electric bar
| rier.
My plan was to place the ladder
| against one of the posts. climb up to
| the top and then jump. There would
| be a fall of nine or ten feet, and /
might possibly sprain an ankle or
break my leg, but if that was all that
| stood between me and freedom /
wasn't going to stop to consider it.
I put my ear to the ground to listen
for the coming of the sentry. There
was not a sound. Eagerly but care
| fully I placed the ladder against the
| post and started up. Only few feet
| separated re from liberty, and my
| heart beat fast.
I had climbed perhaps three rungs
Of my ladder when became aware
| Of an unlocked for difficulty.
The ladder was slipping.
Just as I took the next rung, the
ladder slipped. came in contact with
| the live wire, and the current passed
| through the wet sticks and into my
body. There was a blue flash, my
hold on the ladder relaxed and fell
heavily to the ground unconscious.
OF course, had not received the
full force of the current or 1 would
not now be here. I must have re-
manned unconscious for a few mo-
ments, but I came to just in time to
hear the German guard coming, and
| the thought came to me if didn't get
| that ladder concealed at once he would
see it even though, fortunately for me,
| it was an unusually dark night.
1 pulled the ladder out of his path
and lay down flat on the ground not
seven feet away from his feet. He
| passed so close that I could have
| pushed the ladder out and tripped
him up,