The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-04-18
Appropriating
a Passport
Hcopy rlsht. Is... We.tern New.paper unlon.l }
By WARREN MILLER


extraction. my naue being L1tomme-
dieu. In America ! have always been
called "Lommedoo" Both my father
and mother were born in France. and
am not only French In appearance
hat speak French fluently.
In 1914 l was travelling abroad ana!
WAS in Berlin when the worlds war
broke out.
hurried to the foreign Office to get
my passport put in order to leave Ger
rnnny, but was obliged to wait several
days for it. While waiting I formed
the acquaintance Of man named
Walker, who claimed TO be an Ameri~
can.
The day I received the passport, on
returning with it to my hotel, 1 met
him In the office. l was so pleased
that told him all about finally being
permitted to leave Germany and he
congratulated me warmly. He asked
me when I would leave and told him
,hat would go "the next day on the
only through train that ran between
Ecr!in md Brussels"
The next day, when 1 reached the
station, l was met by Mr.. Walker. u"
was carrying n suitcase and told II"
that he was going on the train. He
took me to compartment of one of
the coaches, in which there were eight
ScutS. Six of the seats were occupied
and Walker and 1 took the remaining
two seats. Then the guard-we IN
America call him the conductor
locked the door. AS he did so saw 4
look of intelligence pass between him
and Mr.. Walker. What it meant ]
had no idea.
AT the first stop several passengers
got out and the guard locked the door
ut once, preventing anyone else from
entering III" compartment. Within an
hour nT'..r leaving Berlin Walker and
! s.. rrmaining passengers, excepting
one man and myself, got out. The
train was crowded and persons repeat
edly tried to induce the guard to let
them enter our almost empty comn3rt-
mcnt; but he kept it locked, evidently
telling them his reason for doing so
which could not hear.
AS soon as we were off again the
sole remaining passenger In the com
partment besides myself took out a
cigarette case anu offered it to me. ]
took q cigarette and he another
noticed that he helped himself from
the other side of the case from which
took my cigarette. I leaned back In
my seat, and feeling very comfortable
closed my eyes. and in Il few minutes
fell asleep.
I was awakened by the guard an
nouncing that we were at the border
and "all out" He was obliged to give
me u good shaking before arousing me-
I was alone. the other passenger hay
departed. 1 seized my hand bagga ge
and went to the room where passen-
gers were showing their passports, or
their permission to leave Germany
and put my hand in my pocket to take
out my own passport. 1t was no.
tlerc.
As soon ms l could get uu officers
attention I told him had been robbed
OF my passport. He asked me my
n;t1!r, ;Ed after EN- investigation told
int that a man named L'Homroedieu
haa Pissed out.
Then knew that my fellow passe..
ger had put me to sleep with a ciga-
rette prepared for the purpose and had
taken my passport.
| was taken back 10 Berlin md held
on suspicion of being Il spy till I had
convinced the authorities that I was
what | represented myself TO be, then.
with the assistance of the American
minister. | WIS permitted To leave Rer-
lin. and after great difficulties at last
'"und myself at my hotel in Paris
few days after reaching the capi-
tai of France I received card which
nor" the name of noted French
statesman. Wondering If there were
not Some mistake I went To the salon
70 meet him and found man about
my size and build, though he would not
be mistaken for me.
Mr. LIiommcdicu." he said. "I have
hc"n waiting for some time for Won
I" register your name at n Pari, hotel
| "h indebted 10 YOU for getting me
ont of Berlin. where I happcncd 70
be. unknown 10 the German govern.
mont. at the breaking out of the war !
ana desire to crave your pardon for
having caused you Inconvenience.
Inconvenience
Hear me-. 4 friend of mina vbo
passed under the name of Walker
knew OF your trouble about your pass .
port 1t occurred to him that Won and
were about the same size. our eves
ana hair were the same color. Under
my own Identity l could never get ont
or Berlin. Walker engineered tbe nIon
~ rod Fou or your passport You
"ou'u only be delayed, while l would
DE considered an important capture
ana ana would suffer long Imprisonment,