The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-31
Five Killed by stray Shells.

Five Killed by stray Shells.
by ]. W. Pegler, United Press Stan
Correspondent
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. Jan. 30-(delayed)-Ffv
American soldiers have been killed
recently by chance shells, according to
announcement today.
| The only American officer included
in the list of recently wounded men is
/ Captain kingman-who was shot in
| the chest al close range by an Ameri-
can soldier, who mistook him for d
Boche in the night Captain King.
man was crawling over No Mans land
/ in p night reconnaissance and in the
darkness an American soldier on the
/ firing step OF the trench thought he
might be an enemy.
| Discovering his mistake, the Sammy
hurried out and helped carry the
wounded officer in.
All the shells which claimed these
victims exploded in trenches and sup
port areas
One OF those killed was an interpre-
ter-an ex-cook at the Blackstone no
tel in Chicago.
He was accompanying colonel on
an inspection tour of the trenches and
"GS liz" u u ny q Smell dS he SlOcU
at the very entrance to the colonel's
underground The interpreter was
close behind and was in the act Of des-
cending the steps when struck
The colonel rushed up to find his
companion mangled and dead.
On one other recent occasion large
shell screamed through the air and ex-
ploded in the center of little knot OF
Sammies Three We're instantly kill
ed and two were wounded.
This was several days ago.
An ambulance was called out Of the
dim. misty dawn and rushed the
wounded men six miles to the rear Of
the trenches, where the field hospital
is located
There orderlies hurried out and ten
derby lifted down the stretchers bearing
the manned men inside.
One stretcher carried soldier from
Washington state, apparently about
twenty years of age. He was taken to
the operating room, where the white
robed surgeon saw at glance that he
had only one chance in million to sur
vive.
An operation was quickly decided
upon The soldier had frightful
shell wound in his abdomen. Despite
care the boy died within fifteen min
utes after his arrival
Surgeons carefully placed this Sam
mays belongings in an envelope for
return to his parents. They included
three photographs. One was appar-
emily of little sister of the dead
man. The girl was leading three big
horses 10 a drinking trough
Another American soldier recently
wounded was a sergeant from Win
chester, Tenn He was crawling in
shallow trench at day light when he
came within sight of an enemy sniper.
The Boche promptly plugged HIM in
the shoulder. THE shot bowled me
over into deep water-filled shell
hole" the sergeant said today, from
bis cot in the hospital My captain
pulled me out or l would have drown
ed
THE minute I got out, reached for
my pistol but found my right arm was
helpless. Then I turned my belt
around and grabbed my pistol with ny
left hand.
81 wanted to get revenge shot at
that sniper. but / couldn't discover
him. I'm all right-I'll 'be back in the
line soon"
One Boche shell the other day struck
a cook shack in battered little town
within the support area. 4 cook who
at that moment was baking birthday
cake for an officer, was instantly kill
ed
Seventeen men in all have been
wounded recently, but these six were
reported to have suffered accidental
injuries
One Sammy from New York City
emerged from the trenches today with
! frost bitten feet-and yet smiling
| through his mud-caked hair.
| "rll bet I'll catch the dickens for
getting my feet frosted" he said.
I"What's become of all those tobacco
funds we read about being raised all
over the United States? For Gods
sake, give a fellow a cigarette! /
haven't had a. smoke in fifteen days"
Nine Ships In Week.
LONDON, Jan. 31.-Nine ships of
more than 1900 tons and six under
that figure, with one fishing boat,
was the total of submarine losses an
nounced today in the weekly state
ment.
Take Teuton Prisoners.
LONDON Ian Al -Pri+fsh na+roJs