Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-22

German headquarters staff 10 or
oanlxlne q series Of conferences
to be held at Cologne, Berlin
karisruhe, Hanover and teipsle
with Representatives Of the lead
Ing newspapers, for tho purpose
Of preparing the German press
for operations On q great scale on
NE western front
lBy Associated Press STAFF
Correspondent.]
WITH tho American Army in France
March 10. (Dslayed) - American
artillery On the Toul from has heavil!
sttaoksd the Germans with gas shells
during the past day or so. 1t 10 now
permittsd to announce. -Four different
attacks we1e launched and from the
point near which the enemy wa:
silenced It n evident that they hat
the desired s1eot.
During one period when the gas
shel1a were flying over the enemy
Lines last night, German airplane
with Z r0d tail Light appeared over the
American lines and dropped a red
rocket for what purpose it Is moi
known. However, shrapnel from
American anticraft batteries burst so
near the German Immediately after
ward that he was forced to fly rapidly
for his own lines.
AlRPLANE DROPS aAs BOMBS
A German airplane. both last night
and this morning, flew over the Amer
ican sector northwest of Toul and
dropped rubber balls eighteen inches
In diameter, filled with liquid mustard
gas. This Is the hrst time 50 far as
Is known that an airplane has been
thus employed.
The effect OF the gas was not seri-
ous but the American troops were in
furiated by what they termed the
dirty warfare" A sample of one Of
the rubber containers has been OBJ
tanned
Last night enemy observation tow.
ers and positions on Mont Sec were
shelled heavily and heavy fire was
directed against the enemy line this
morning.
GERMANS ARE ROUTED
At noon today the enemy opened .
lively fire on one OF the American
positions with 81 millimeter guns from
the cemetery at Richcouet. The Amer.
lean guns Of the same calibre came in
to action and after they had fired
fifty shells the Germans ran from the
position and took their guns with
them. The American guns then she'll
ed the village of La Hayville, where
two heavy explosions, apparently of
munitions stores, were caused.
PATROLS FIGHT At NIGHT
The German artillery directed most
Of its attention to dropping few gas
shells into one or two towns within
tho American lines and Smelling a
cross road known az Deaths Corner,
during the day and night.
Last night American patrols enter.
ed the German front lines at two
points, but did not see a single enemy
soldier although they hunted some
time. Another patrol remained in the
enemy wire entanglements all night,
hoping to ambush an expected enemy
party but 1t did not appear. A third
patrol party was discovered by the
Germans who hurled hand granades
and forced the Americans to withdraw,
Still another established contact with
an enemy patrol and few shots were
exchanged. The Americans came
through unscathed but 1t Is not
known what happened to the Ger.
mans.
AlRMEk FIGHT IN CLOUDS
Many afrplanes were up until rain
began to fall at noon. One airplane
from the rear Of the American lines
drove of two boche machines after a
thrilling battle in and out of the
clouds. Another airplane was engaged
against German when a second Ger.
man Joined in the fight. A second
friendly airman came up to assist,
hut was too late, for the airplane the
Americans had hoped would be vic.
torious fell to the ground within the
enemy lines.
PATROLS REACH HUN LINE
On the sector east Of Luneville the
rrtillery continues active and a few
! merican patrols have reached the
erclny lines. One party encountered
ST enemy patrol and forced the Ger.
rans to withdraw after sharp
rtirmish
A certain Irish regiment was bonn
tcrded heavily today with big shells
Ferorts from both the Lunevi'le and
Teul sectors say hat more German
sss proiecti'e batteries have been dis
co~e"od and blown to pieces by the
INC rican gunners
GERMAN RAID REoULsED