Middletown transcript., 1918-05-11
SERGEANT LANCFORD
Makes a Graphic And Witty Ad-
dress on French Life

Makes a Graphic And Witty Ad
dress on French Life
ELOQUENT F0RCIBLE SPEAKER
The changing of all the towns churcl
bells on last Thursday evening at IA
apprised everybody that in the word
of the Preacher, there is a time O
war-a time to kill" and a goodl,
number of Middletown's best ci izen
formed the enthusiastic audience which
greeted the young veteran from tn,
French trenches, and heard his moving
story of the hell horrors the German.
are practicing upon all mankind. includ
ing Americans.
Mrs. Ridg'ey; of Dover, Chairman Of
the State Committee on the Liberty
Loan Bonds, made live, witty, briet
speech announcing that Kent and Sus'
sex had ''gone over the top" and that
no doubt New Castle would also do SC
and that as Delaware in the early days
had the honor to be the first to ratify
the Federal Constitution, so now il
would again assume honorable primacy
in the Liberty Loan Campaign with its
superb total of $9.0OO,00O! She
said that of this huge sum the women
of Delaware would bave the high honor
of raising over one half Mrs. Ridg-
ley's prophecy has more than been full
filled, for the women's share will ex-
ceed $4,000. 900. Moreover her wish
that '.Delaware might have the first
star on the huge Liberty Bond flag to
be flown from the tap Of the Washing
ton Monument, will also be gratifed.
for the Diamond State has the extra
ordinary honor OF exceeding won its
quota three times-the finest showing
of any state, one that entities Della
ware to two stars on the big banner -
Cashier Ladley in happy speech Of
three minutes introduced the speaker,
sergeant tangfold who made very
line address filled with blood and tears
and laughter. He spoke of the horror
he felt when for the first time he saw a
little girl timidly hiding under her dress.
the mutilated stump left after Ger
man had cut off her little hand. 81
..l number Of like sasas, ana can
tell you that the argument that this
dreadful cruelty could not )e possible
because the child would bleed to death,
Is not sound, for the reason that those
Hun devils dip the stumps Of their little
victims in hot tar.'
The speaker told of a young Ameri-
can soldier who after being captured
was with several others paraded before
thousands Of German troops. derided,
insulted, spat upon etc. Finally an
officer came up to him and sneeringly
asked if he were an American. The
young prisoner said he was, and that
he was proud Of it. The officer there
upon cut off his ears with his sword,
sxclaiming, '.Now. ! hope you are
proud of your looks too,
When DR.. Curran, British surgeon.
offered to bind up his wounds, the 2f-
fcer forbade, saying 80, let Liln sat
fer. Sergeant l-angf.rd said ne had
these particulars from the mouth Of:
tnis surgeon, DR.. Curran, who wanted
10 dress the young Americans wounds.
The Sergeant spoke Of standing for
hours waist deep in water with skim Of
ice on it, and sometime With a deaf ,naa
.aier ms feet in the trench. f'Ws
slept in mud, lived in mud and ate mud
sometimes. We are doing these
things for you people that you may be
safe here in your homes. But you ara
80 fur away you can't realize it; but
you will realize it when the dead and
wounded begin to come home-when
some Of you find a dead man on your
own doorstep" He spoke of the richest
women In France toiling all day in
sweat shops making military clothing.
and working In the fields like men.
He told an incident in the shooting of
Edith Cavell. the heroic English nurse,
wherein she asked of that beast Hin
denberg the favor that he should forbid
his soldiers to mairn !:tt;e :.nilafen.'
sehiaai l,a.M va.i they DO with their
;.ttls hands. l. have nursed your SOL
iiers, and l ask of you this favor be-
fore I die The cowardly German
brute refused her request with laugh
lie said the Germans laughed IL.
rlsllely at tue repeated notes, sent by
lie President, and called the Americans
i lot Of cowards-'"They have found out
differently nowI
Sergeant Langford has the making cf
ap eloquent speaker although he, Ike
antony. disclaimed being an :..crator as
prutus is: His wonderful address in
eoaxing dollars out Of ppcketbooks is
shown by the huge total he raised from
his doorstep rostrum with his small
audience, one half as much as some
fanous speakers raised from Phila-
tIelpiq;s saeeting of thousands, with 900
voA4nteers in Khaki to help. This cir
cumsts1ee also rejects high credit
upon the loyal citisens sf hidd,etcyn.
Honor Our Volunteers
The town SHOULD fly big Service