El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-01-19

= ONDON, Eng, Jan. 19.-From
crucifixion to beatings into in
- sensibility for being sick was
the fate Of prisoners Of the Germans
in the second camp I had the misfor-
months experience in the first camp,
where we were treated like dogs and
almost starved to death. the day came
when we were paraded to move off
for Longendereerr. where we were
told we would have to work on some
coke ovens connected with the Seven
! Stars cOlliery. We were thereupon
marched to the station. and once more
made our acquaintance with the cat
tie trucks and horse boxes. The SEN
tries on this occasion took great care
to watch US, and. though we were in
the heart Of Germany. one sentry was
called upon to guard every ten men
We were in terrible state. but IL
was no use protesting. and we ar.
rived at our destination in due time
Included IN our party was cavalry
man who had been captured at Mons.
He was In a pitiful condition, and he
told me that when he was captured
he was a good II stone, yet when ]
saw him he would not weigh seven
stones. Such was the plight we were
In on reaching the coke ovens.
Big Burly Slave Driver
On arriving at Longendereerr. which
is a town OF q fairly decent size. the
first thing to catch our eye was big
burly fellow in white trousers. and an
officers tunic- He was armed to the
teeth, and he reminded me OF Simon
Legree. the infamous slave driver II
Uncle Toms Cabin"
This under officer, whom we called
"the Big Slave Master" apparently
priGed himself in thinking that he
knew a bit OF the English language
and no doubt he also thought he knew
a few Of our ordinary squad drill or
Gers.
After cycling Us for a few moments
he yelled out Company Fix" What
he was trying to get at I did not
konw, neither did the rest Of the
party. Therefore we just stood as we
were. This somewhat enraged the Big
Slave Master, who again bawled
Company Fix"
! Naturally, we ignored the order
simply because we did not know what
he was talking about He. however
] was not there to consider our feelings,
and he soon made US do what he
wanted by ordering the sentries to
make Us get into marching orders By
using the butt end Of their rifles. and
also their feet upon Us. This was done
before the civilians, who uttered nu-
merous delightful" remarks as we
passed on our way to the colliery anc
coke ovens.
Frenchman Crucified.
As soon as we entered the lager my
eyes rested on q helpless Frenchman
who was strapped in most revolt
ing and cruel manner to an iron pole.
This was the first signal Of what we
were to expect in this awful camp We
could not help but see this suffering
Frenchman. whose head hung upon
his breast and whose face was
Wracked with pain.
The suffering victim was pinioned
as tightly as the cords could be drawn
ever the shoulders and under the arm
pits. while another stout rope was
firmly tied round his chest. This alone
would have sufficed to have held the
captive. but the Germans always car
~ their inhuman punishment 10 the
very last inch
They try not to kill 4 man. but In
stead to half kill him, so that ne VIII
suffer all the more
The most cruel rope OF all was that
which passed around his abdomen
which, on being drawn taut, gradually
lifted the poor fellows feet off the
Ground. 1 was afterwards told that
the victim had been hanging in THIS
position for several hours before We
arrived on the scene.
Trying Work on Coke ovens
We were called out the next morn
ing to 90 to work.
fell in for a Job on the coke ovens
on which there were 20 Of US work
/ ing. Some of them were called upon
to work on top Of the hot ovens
which afterwards began to tell It's tale
upon my unfortunate comrades
So long as we were lett aIone an
properlv treated, we did our work wen
| hut as time went on II suddenly
/ dav-ned tlpon US that the more work
we did the more we were expected e
do. we decided to make stanc
| AGAINST the selfish brutes who KEEP
rs TO our tasks, and made up oul
minds to 90 easy in our work Bul
we found odt to our sorrow that TIM
did not pay, for instead OF Workine
| the recognized u hours per day, We
/ were kept at the ovens quite 10 nouTs
We worked in day and night snlIts
/ and we were supposed to rest on sun
DAYS II we went on II hours shlI
/ on Saturday night at six o'clock W.
/ mad. however. TO work until six O'CLOCK
/ on SUNDAY morning. while those OF
night shift had 70 turn out al 81
l o'clock on Sunday night and Work IN
/ til six o'clock the following morning
And this is what the Germans calle'
| not working on the Sabbath
Twelve hours per day, working II
/ front and on top Of red not cox
| ovens was more than an able bodied
man could stand. and yet half starved
men were forced to do it
/ We never received a civil repl!
I from either the sentry or the BIZ
] Slave Master, who even when he wa