New-York tribune., 1918-02-18
Patrol Caught by Current
Turned Into Barbed
Wire
Had Passed First
German Defences
Pershing's Men Drop to
Ground and Escape
Discovery
lBy The Associated rress J

lEy The Associated rressl
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
rRANCt., Feb. 17.-An American pa
,pl, having passed the first line of
German entanglements and approached
the second line, last night WAS sud-
denly cut off by current Of electricity
along the first wire line
Instead Of attempting an immediate
return to their trenches, which would
have meant certain death from electro
cution or machine gun fire, the Ameri-
cans clung close to the earth, and. later
when the electricity was cut off, re-
turned in safety to their positions.
1t was thrilling experience for the
patrol. A certain number of men set
out from the American position in the
hope Of encountering number of the
enemy at point in the German trenches
They had passed the first line and
reached. When they were just about
to start under the second line there
was blush glow, and, turning around,
they saw long, livid sparks playing
through the barbed wire of the first
line. The enemy had turned on a pow-
erful electric current.
Sprawled on the Ground.
The patrolers quickly Aattened out
on the ground. thinking they had been
discovered, and expecting to hear mo-
mentarily machine gun bullets go sing
ing overhead. Nothing OF the kind hap
pened however, Apparently. the Ger
mans merely turned on the current by
chance, hoping that if any Americans
were within the entanglements they
would be killed on the wire or while
trying to get out. The patrol returned
safely to the American lines when the
electricity was cut Off.
The American artillery has made
more direct hits on important enemy
works Observers for some time had
noted large number OF the enemy
working at a particular place on a large
underground structure. Early this
morning the American gunners got the
range, and d stream of shells drove in
on the position, hurting heavy timbcrs
and other material high in the ain.
Two new sniping posts, where the
snipers were using periscopes, we're
also wiped out by American artillery
fire
General Pershing day completed
his inspection of the American lines.
The Germans apparently having dis
covered the meaning of some of the
American rocket signals, last night
caused the Americans for considcra-
% BILE distance along the front to prepare
Tor gas attack Az first. the Germans
sent into the air a rocket of d certain
color which is the American signal for
gas attacks, but the hoax was dscov-
cred soon after the troops adjusted
their gas masks.
The Germans next sent up rocket
calling for barragc by the Americans,
but the American officers on ohserva-
ton duty IN an advanced post, seeing
whence the rocket came, got message
TO the artillery in time to prevent it
from laying down the needless Shell
FIRE
The command to fire was ready to be
gwen when the information reached the
gunncrs that the enemy was RESPONSE
bic for the barragc signal. Extremely
quick work was necessary to stop the
order TO fire, for the American artillery
has reached Il high degree of speed in
gong INTO action.
The Germans arc coming to realize
,his. and they are not so free with /
their shells as in the early days of the
American occupation Of the line. In
the language or the front. every time
that Fritz sends over one shell now
he gets "an armful" in return.
The enemy infantry, however, has
adopted the policy of never letting its
. rifles and machine guns sleep.
An officers striker last evening poked
his head over the top of trench to
sec what was doing, and bullet
promtly came his way, just missing
him. The reports show that another
mau, who for some reason jumped on
4 parapet. was riddled by machine gun
bullets before he could stand up from
? crouching posture. Officers have to
keep constantly after the men not to
show themselves and to be careful One
man found in listening post without
his shrapnel helmet explained that the
helmet made his head ache and he
VOuld stand anything Dut that.
Places where the Germans have been
tapping the American telephone lines at
the front have been discovered and
steps have been taken TO prevent q
repetition. Insulation has been found
Scrapcd off wires at places where the
enemy has been listening in
Enemy Wire Connected
One enemy wire actually was found
attached TO our wire and running ou.
across No Mans Land. Just how this
vas accomplished it is not permitted to
G'Sclose, although among the men there
Is Ia TAX OF spy hunts"
ms tapping OF wires at times has
Ssused ed considerable temporary incon-
oehiencc. fictitious names being used
om o,er the telephone lines for places and
Snleers, sn Our wires frequently have been
ttbSnhected tbn in some way with those of
s sne enemy, and on one occasion am
\ ,rmerlcan ,o officer is said to have talked
- sta. herman in a listening post when he
n,a,' .aa'ed to use the telephone The Ger
,ha a" made few tcrsc remarks and then
Wv 'oncction WAS broken
;. "h'tc Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
~ Wieopprior open sll the year W,n,i..r.,i ,,,