Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-12
Hun Royalty
at Arm 5 Length
Boxing Instructor Of the Kaiser's
Family Writes Interestingly
Of Experiences.
copyrighted By ]. p. Slim. Furnished
by the International News Bureau. Incl
BY j. p. SLIM.
Eighteen Months In tho Service of the
Emperor at Potsdam.

explained our position. but he cut
into my speech with the brusque decla-
ration that he could do nothing for US.
Bat surely IL Is your business to give
assistance TO British subjects in cases
such as this" | suggested.
War Is deglared he said, "and't
from that momendt 1 become German
citizen"
We thanked him for nothing, ard
made cur way to the door. the sco~ling
porte. following Us with murder in his
c"e. though he dared not say or do
anything.
Outside the Office were Atty or sixty
British people gathered in small
groups. discussing the serious situation
in which they found themselves. All
the advice they had got from him was
10 report themselves TO the police. AS
far as know, not one OF them ever
succeeded in getting clear from
Cologne. II they were all interncd. 1t
was due TO our precious consul there.
This experience made me very nerv-
Gus when l went TO the office at Dus-
seldori because among my acquaint-
anccs in that city was German, who
He was never addressed except as
herr consul" and l knew he spoke
excellent English.
once had long chat with him.
and remembered that he had told me
. he was once British consul. in the
! Far East somewhere. He said that
every German in foreign countries who
could possibly obtain British con-
sular position received every encour-
agement from the German authorities
TO accept 1t; and that he was allowed
TO style himself herr consul ever
afterwards.
II was natural. after my experience
an har
pected 10 be greeted b. Consul Aaron
when l reached the british consulate
| az Dusseldorf. once q British con-
/, sui. always a British consul" was his
motto. Il worked for nothing for
England" he told me. why should /
do that II might not retain the title
OF British consult"
GLAD TO FIND CONSUL
GENUINE ENGLISHMAN
But the British consul at Dussel-
dorf was genuine Englishman. and
Il very courteous and pleasant man.
called on him early on the morning Of
August s. but found he could do moth
ing for us. While we were in his Of
fee stream OF British people called
and went away with the same dis
hcartening information.
are you going to stay here your
self" l asked.
Not II l can help It," he answered.
mean to try to escape to Holland"
~ you so. so can We" l suggested
GU can try he answered. rather
pessinistically. l thought.
The chief OF police at Dusseldorf
was an old acquaintance Of mine, and
l resorted TO him for help He be-
haved we'll. and gave me a pass for
myself and my brother. with the warn.
ing that. he did not think the document
was OF the slightest use. / then told
| n
That offers a better chance than
the train" he said. But the soldier,
who are guarding the bridges will be
sure TO shoot at you"
The boat had an auxiliary motor, and
the next business was to obtain petrol
In the city, buying small bottle here
and there. FOR the purpose OF clean
ing my clothes"
The boat was moored at the artillery
barracks. and the artillerymen saw us
cast off, cheering us under the most
mistaken notion that we were engaged
upon some official business. That
cheer was our salvation, for II was
heard at Dusseldorf Bridge. where
guard was watching the river From
these men we actually. got a salute,
instead OF being stopped, as we ex.
pected.
AT . that afternoon we reached Duis.
L.
thorities. ] admitted that we were
English. and showed my police pass
TO prove my statement that we had
been escorted out OF Dusseldorf bv
the authorities. One thing which gaye
color to this improba BILE yarn was the
fact that three Dutchmcn had been shot
at Dusseldorf bridge soon after we left.
and the news of the incident had
reached Luisberg. They were simply
trying to get home to Holland in their
boat.
My bluff succeeded to a certain ex-
tent. but the military authorities de-
cided to keep us at Duisberg for the
night.
We were made fast to raft of logs,
about fifty yards above the bridge. and
guard OF soldiers under charge of
an officer was set over us. The officer
told us that machine gun was trained
upon us, and that beyond the bridge
another gun OF the same kind was
sweeping the river. His advice was
that we should not attempt to escape.
1t seemed superfluous to assure him
that we had no such intention, but
did so. We passed only n poor night,
Tor L was haunted by the notion that
the boat might in some way break
loose from our raft OF logs
Very early in the morning-soon af-
ter a. M.-our officer informed us
that we were free to pursue our
Journey, as far as he was concerned.
you are very bold to try It," he
SAID, as we started away. II shall
soon see you again, and hope 1t will
DO In the flesh. One way or the other.
you VIII not go very far"
MEETS TROUBLE IN
PASSING DUISBERG BRIDGE
at the next bridge at Duisberg wa
were challenged by the military boat.
which lay under tho bridge, and for
some reason encountered difficulty in
crossing the current in response to the
challenge. Apparently they thought
we were trying to slip past for two
shots Wara trad Nhinh airnnk fhAsl