The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-07
Wounded Five Times, Topekan
Wants Another Chance at Hun.
For Three Years He Fought
Thru Wars Worst Battles.
EVERYTHING ABOUT HUN True
C. F. Baumgardner Saw Ger
man Atrocities and He Knows!
Wonderful and Fearful Story
Told by Canadian Hero.

Three years with the Canadian ex-
peditionary forces in France, wounded
In five battles, battered, bruised and
broken, c. F. Baumgardner, an attend
ant at Topeka state hospital, wants to
go back and avenge the death Of his
mother and father and five uncles.
Baumgardner's story is page of rare
fiction exemplified in flesh and blood.
There is little that can happen to
man on the field of battle that hasn't
come to Baumgardner. And ii only
he could enroll in some service, he
would go on the triumphal march to
Berlin.
Like thousands, of men in the
Canadian forces overseas, Baumgard-
ner came from the states. He left
farm near Denver and Joined the al
lied forces when word came that his
mother and father had given up their
lives when the Germans overran Bel
GUM ana invaded France. He fought
and bled in the battles at Hills 40, 10
and lao. He helped defend Verdun.
He was in the first battle of the Marine.
He carries scars from the battle on
Dead Mans Hill. He was one of five
men from his regiment of 1000 who
came back. from the Canadian drive
on Vimy Ridge And Baumgardner
came back on stretcher-came back
battered and torn and almost lifeless
after he had lain 4s hours ONT the
battle field.
He Wants To Go Back.
Five times wounded in battle, three
times gassed. A silver plate in his
head. q silver cord joining the bones
in his left thigh, left arm and wrist
broken, three fingers of right hand
broken, three ribs, broken, nose
broken, foot and ankle broken, three
distinct breaks of his legs, knee cap
sA-%1 e~4f~
removed, and gassed three times for
good measure-that is Baum gardeners
contribution to make the world good
place to live in. Now he reads the
news of the allied drives and cries be-
F. cause he can't go back to finish it up.
Baumgardner exhibits his wounds ,,
a man talks of duck hunt. He
doesn't claim credit or distinction.
Thousands of others have done the
same. He has seen human lives sniped
fighting to avenge the inhuman
slaughter of innocent, defenseless.
peace loving people-his own flesh
and blood. And Baumgardner doesn't
want medals or plaudits or chautau-
qua contracts for just that. Today he
is trying to build up a broken body
and praying to get back.
Mother and Father Killed.
"You don't know how a man can
hate-hate until it just burns into
your soul and keeps you awake nights
and makes you pray for a chance to
KILL" said Baumgardner. You can't
understand that until you have seen
what have seen and felt what have
felt.
MY father and mother were both
French born. but American citizens.
They were in the city of Verdun when
the war started. Like most people
they didn't think it would be much.
Then the crown princes troops
swooped down and took a part of that
city. My parents were on the last
train out of the city. That train was
blown up and hurled in the river be-
fore it reached Paris. My father and
mother are somewhere under pile of
concrete in the river. My mothers
five brothers fought for France. They
are all dead now.
$50 I went to Calgary and enlisted
with the Third Regiment of infantry
and was in December, 1914 with the
expeditionary forces. I was sent back
September 6, 1917-just year ago.
Wonderful Spirit of France.
'If you had seen what I have seen,
you would know how dear 1t is to fight
and suffer and die. You would appre-
ciate that wonderful spirit of the
French people and the fortitude of the
Belgians and the determination of the
British. They don't want peace-not
the peace that comes with compro-
mise. They want only the peace that
comes naturally and sweet1y and right
1y. They know what this war has
meant and they know there is but one
way to settle it.
II was in Antwerp for a time
there when was recovering from a
shell wound-and helped with the Red
Cross work. 1t was up in Belgium
learned all about Prussian atrocities.
Don't discredit a story of mistreatment
of women and children until it is prov
4wrfNe @Arr al l.
worse than have ever been told. The
world simply doesn't know"
Hun Atrocities.
Then Baumgardner closed his eyes
and ran his hand thru his hair-over
the silver plate from a Red Cross
auxiliary hospital.
you will know how I feel when I
tell you have helped take babies and
little children from the walls of build
ings where they have been crucified,"
the man said. mot once have 1 done
1t, but many times. When a Prussian
devil didn't have a big nail to drive
in a child's hand Or body, he used his
bayonet. When a child spoke back at
him on the street of an invaded city,
he sometimes cut its tongue off. Often
it was hand that was severed. Not
infrequently the child's eyes were
burned out and the innocent, helpless
babe was left to wander about the city
or to die.
Treatment of girls and women has
been too horrible to describe. / have
seen the bodies of young women nailed
to trees or walls. I have seen their
nude bodies bearing an initiated
brand burned in their flesh or more
Vpften with their breasts cut off. A
Huns idea of triumph is the practice
of crime and inhumanity.'
Hun Campaign of Horror.
Baumgardner, who has followed the
present allied drive with almost a
frenzied interest, believes the boche
is beginning to show his underlying
cowardice and dread of even combat
$50 long as the Germans are win.
ming, have a preponderance of mer
and are well fed and warmly dressed
the German soldier is dangerou:
foe said the man whose body ha6
been shattered by German steel in the