The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-08
Germans Find 'Sniping' Mighty
Dangerous Business.
American Patrol Slips Over and
Steals German Rifle.
LIEUT.. SHOOTS DOWN PLANE
Was His First Experience Over
German Lines.
He Halls From Missouri and
"Had To Show EN-"
cRr the Associated Press }

With the American Army in France,
Feb S.-American artillery and in
fantry have succeeded ir cleaning out
a majority of the snipers who caused
considerable annoyance from the time
the sector was taken over by the
troops Snipers' posts in buildings
have seen destroyed by knocking
down the shelters with shells Snipers
hidden in bushes or in shell holes
have been routed by American sharp
shooters Night patrols have succeed
ed in locating some of the positions
and the Germans in them have been
finished off later.
Last night small patrol entered
an advanced German trench in search
of nest of snipers. A lieutenant, a
corporal and two men left the Amer
lean wire and returned five hours
later. They walked across No Mans
Land, picking their way carefully to
avoid discovery. Reaching the enemy
wire they crawled beneath it cautious
ly and approached the most advanced
enemy trench. The mon looked down
into the trench. which apparently was
abandoned, but they were sure snipers
were there. They dropped down
noiselessly and found a place where
the trench bottom showed fresh foot
prints On the parapet the corporal
discovered a rifle, loaded and pointed
in the direction of the American
trenches. There was not a German
around.
Brought Back German Rifle.
The corporal brought back the rifle
to the American lines. 1t is a typical
German weapon made in Berlin and in
good condition..
At another point enemy snipers were
discovered in a shell hole. A few well
placed shots from light artillery end
ed their career. At another place a
hail of machine gun bullets was ef-
fectiVe.
One, two or possibly three snipers'
posts are still in front of the Ameri-
can positions but they are not likely
to be there long.
The young American lieutenant who
had the honor of shooting down his
first German airplane while accom-
panying a French escadriIle on a
bombing expedition Tuesday night had
never operated machine before in his
life while in flight and never be-
fore had been over the enemy lines
He got his man over the German city
of Saarburg.
The bombing squadron was over
Saarburg and in the act of dropping
bombs when enemy airplanes were
seen approaching rapidly
BY the time the bomb dropping had
been completed the enemy was close
dt manu- anu the French formation
which this American and another
American aviator had accompanied as
gurners was at an altitude of l2 600
feet.
Shoots Down Hun Machine
The lieutenant, who is a Missourian.
took off his gloves SO that he might
operate his machine gun more eff
fectively when he saw an enemy plane
driving in from the side and firing it's
gun The bullets whizzed close to the
French machine before the American
acting as gunner could get his piece
into action.
Then he turned a stream of bullets
into the enemy and, before the first
drum was exhausted, the enemy ma
chine toppled and started to spiral
Then it Topped and fluttered down
with flare of smoke and flames in
its wake 1t crashed to the ground a
short distance from the German citv
The other American aviator also a
lieutenant. was not so lucky as the
Missourian. for the machine he picked
out to engage lodged away quickly
and he was unable to get in any eff
fective shots.
When the squadron returned the
Missouri Heutenant's hands were
swollen to twice their normal size
from the cold he having lost his
gloves during the encounter. other
wise he is today just about the hap
piest officer in the American eXpedi-
tionary forces He has been in France
only short time.
Dtspcrse Two Hun BattaIions
on the American sector the artillery
is endeavorlng to even the score with
the enemy by ombarding heavily
German batteries, trenches and other
military targets. German guns were
silenced when they attempted to re-
ply. The American gunners succeeded
in dispensing a large body of Germans
net a. fcAf n fr1Fr INaff
inflicting losses on the detachments