El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-10
JUSTICE IN A
GERMAN COURT
English Escaped Prisoner
Writes Of Cruelty Of
His Captors.
By PVT. 4. B. DICKINSON.

By PVT. T. B. DICKINSON.
London, Eng, Nay 10.-A few min
utes after our capture within four
miles Of Holland Ctold in my last ar
ticle). Jimmy Anderson and were
conducted 70 a neighboring guard
room, where a quartet OF patriarchal
soldiers sat playing cards for pfen-
nigs. I think, and smoking cigars
which had never heard OF Havana
Our advent and introduction as
British prisoners Of war who had
tried to escape from a German prison
camp created quite q flutter. One
uniformed and bearded grandpa" ex-
pressed the opinion that We did not
know when we were well Off you
men are safely out OF the war" he.
said. and FAR removed from the dan
ger zone. II you were back in Bri-
tain. they would make you tight
azafn i cant understand why Il IS
that interned soldiers risk their lives
playing this foolish game Of back to
the homeland
For their special benefit I threw a
lurid light on the sufferings which
captives in Germany are forced to en-
dure-toid them Of the Dig sWill
served 20 US and dignitied by the
name Of food
The members OF the quartet were
astounded and displayed a tendency
towards Incredibly. "Mein GOtti" /
Calculated the BEethusaIistic warrior. !
you cannot be speaking the truth. I
We Germans are the most advanced, /
most enlightened. most civilized peo-
pie in the world, and You can hardly /
expect US TO believe our fellow coun- /
trymen guilty Of behavior so brutal /
went into a wealth OF detail which i
eventually convinced him that the life
Of a prisoner Of war within the realms 4
OF the kaiser bore not the slightest 4
resemblance 10 a bed OF roses
The brief silence that followed my \
perorati0u was broken by the talka-
tive ancient, who solmeuly remarked
IF what you say Is true-and you Z
seem to speak with a full knowledge
Of the facts and with sincerity
don't blame you for endeavoring to
We had been given seats near the
fire, and We needed them. The
knowledge that I had failed to escape
took ont Of me what little strength 1
had left There was a pot Of coffee
simmerinE BY the side OF the fire. and
I asked If we could each have a cup,
as we were both cold and exhausted.
The request was instantly granted by
the farmers, whose attitude was SYM
pathetic, and they also gave rs some
black bread
Nearly Caused a Riot.
Later in the evening two soldiers
arrived from a neighboring town 10
escort Us to headquarters there Our
arrival at this tOWn-the name Of
which Il is not permissible TO men
t'on-Was witnessed by consider
able number Of German civilians
Some person shouted ont a sentence
TO the effect that we we're spies, and
I felt thankful that our guards car
ried loaded guns Another represent
tative Of ''kultur" threw stone.
which struck me on the enest; but a
riot was aTerted by the guards inti-
mating that we were merely escaped
prisoners OF war dressed up IN civil
ian clothes
The police station was an imposing
building Of considerable dimensions
The Jail adiOined the police station.
but had a separate entrance. Admit
lance was gained by ringing bell.
after which we were searched and
conducted un a long stair. with
heavy iron door at the ton. On this
being unlocked we beheld a long cor
rider inumiued by several electric
liFhts and flanked on either side by
cells
Anderson and I were shown into one
Of these compartments An electric
light was suspended from the ceiling,
the switch being outside IN the corri-
Tor There was also a small stove
In a corner. and size place was warm.
TIE ili1e- brought US two mugs OF
coffee and some bread. and before de-
parting announced that he would
eave the Hght on for an hour
The Fate Of Two Russians.
Morning came and also the lailer.
He unlocked the door OF our cell and
Informed US we could get wash at
he end Of the corridor. There we
net two youthful. Well-dressed RUS
Iians They spoke German fluently,
IS do nearly all educated Slavs. and !
uttered into conversation with them
7hev told me they had been arrested
IS spies. and that the probability was
hev would be condemned and shot
The taller Of the two was the more
ouuacious. and II was he who laugh
nelv mentioned the shooting. I
ooked my SUNRISE at his levity.
which ne noted. and said; you are
rendering why I can smile within the
hadoE Of death Well, you BritishersI
lave q proverh which says that IL Is
'etter 10 laugh than cry. and. my
riend. 7 am doing my best 10 follow
hat good advice"
These were the last words I heard
ne Russian utter. for the jailer came
.urrying along the corridor and an
-rily commanded us to return TO our
els Immediately. ct Is forbidden
% speak to these Russians" he said
They are spies and enmies Of the
Then he paused and
dded significantly But the days
Z their enmity are numbered" I
ever saw the Russians again.
About o'clock in the afternoon an
scort had arrived 10 convey Us back
o Munster and the Rennebshn camp,
nd after several papers had been
igned we set out on our journey.
on reaching Rennebahu we were
AIKEN To the Euardroom. where we