The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-11-15
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
NJ. 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 ]. Dooley of
Chicago, successor to Doctor Stevens,
assistant surgeon, owes his liberty to
the fact that Doctor Stevens is a pris-
Oner.
1t is one of those weird romances
of the sea and war.
Il Word was flashed to the bombing
base one afternoon that a seaplane
was down on the surface of the water
about thirty miles off the coast. A
fast motor boat, ready for such emer-
Igencies, was sent out. A surgeon al
ways accompanies such expeditions.
. Doctor Do0ley 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.
/ 81 think I'll co." he said to Doctor
DOoley. "It will be my last trip and
the journey will be something of re-
lief"
! He jumped into the boat and was
off. There were six others aboard.
They reached the stranded seaplane in
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.
It 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-
tiOn. 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
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 a
10 Il, III ,4r, aIy IL, h.
ter of the boat. It 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
oayonets and commanded:
Surrender! You are on German
.erritoryw
Doctor Stevens and his companion
Meanwhile the other five men were
rylng to make land. Two Of them
headed down with the current, look
ng for any chance to make land. The
'ther three attempted a shorter cut
~ swimming the current at an angle.
One of this trio was drowned. The
,ther two got to land and we're cap
ured by the Germans. The two men
Who were left swimming in the current
we're in weakened condition when two
British officers ashore made them out.
The BritOns jumped into the surf,
wan out and dragged the men ashore.
They ran to a telephone and called
he bombing base.
eve have two Of your men suffer-
ng from exposure and exhaustion.
their boat was sunk by Germans and
wO of the men taken prisoner" said
he voice.
Germans Raid Base.
Maurice NJ. Moore Of Washington, d.
E, jumped into the camp jltney and
tarted for the place where the res
ued men were He had to drive over
exposed roads, but he made the up =
Quincy safely, his car loaded with
lankets. He took the men aboard
nd started home. Suddenly shells
egan exploding in front of him and
ack of him. But through the canopy
+ bursting shells the little jitney made
peed safely for more than five miles, I