davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03

Of my life II I could have gotten away
then and fooled that Hun-he was so
cocksure..
Later we were marched to the train
that was to convey us to Germany. 1t
consisted of some twelve coaches,
eleven Of these containing troops going
home on leave, and the twelfth re-
served for us. We were placed In a
fourth-class compartment with old,
hard, wooden seats, filthy floor and
no lights save a candle placed there
by guard. There were eight of us
prisoners and four guards.
AS we sat in the coach we we're an
object Of curiosity to the crowd who
gathered at the station.
"Hope you have nice trip" one of
them shouted sarcastically.
"Drop me a line when you get to
Berlin, will your" shouted another in
broken English.
"When shall we see you againT'
asked third.
Remember me to your friends, will
you? You'll find plenty where you're
going!" shouted another.
The German officers made no effort
to repress the crowd, In fact, they
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03

There were dozens of other ways
which we considered. One man would
be for endeavoring to make his way
right through the lines. Another
thought the safest plan would be to
swim some river that crossed the lines.
The idea of making ones way to
Holland, neutral country, occurred
to everyone, but the one great obstacle
in that direction, we all realized, was
the great barrier of barbed and cleo
trically charged wire which guards ev-
cry foot of the frontier between Bel
GUM and Holland, and which is closely
watched by the German sentries.
This barrier was a three-fold affair.
1t consisted first of barbed wire wall
six feet high. Six feet beyond that
was q nine-foot wall of wire power
fully charged with electricity. To
touch 1t meant electrocution. Beyond
that, at a distance of six feet, was
another wall of barbed wire six feet
high.
Beyond the barrier lay Holland and
liberty, but how to get there was a
problem which none of us could solve
and few of us ever expected to have
chance to try.
Mine came sooner than / expected.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03
CHAPTER vi.


/ had been in prison at Courtrai
nearly three weeks when, on the morn
ing of September 9th, l and six other
officers were told that we were to be
transferred to prison camp in Ger.
| many.
One of the guards told me during the
day that we were destined for re-
prisal camp in Strassburg. They were
sending us there to keep our airmen
from bombing the place.
He explained that the English car
ried German officers ON hospital ships
for similar purpose and he excused
the German practice of torpedolng
these vessels on the score that they
also carried munitions When /
pointed out to him that France would
hardly be sending munitions to Eng
land, he lost interest in the argument.
Some days before, l had made up my
mind that it would be a very good
thing to get hold of map of Germany,
which knew was in the possession of
one of the German interpreters, be-
cause / realized that If ever the OPP
portunity came to make my escape,
such a map might be Of the greatest
assistance to me.
With the idea of stealing this map,
accordingly, lieutenant and | got in
front of this interpreters window one
day and engaged in very hot argu-
ment as to whether Heidelberg was on
the Rhine or not, and we argued back
and forth so vigorously that the Ger
man came out of his room, map in
hand, to settle 1t. After the matter
was entirely settled to our satisfac-
ton, he went back into his room and
l watched where he put the map.
When, therefore, learned that was
on my way to Germany, realized that
it was more important than ever for
me to get that map, and with the help
Of my friend, we got the interpreter
out Of his room on some pretext or
another, and while he was gone con-
fiscated the map from the book In
which he kept it and concealed it in
my sock underneath my Logging. AS
had anticipated, it later proved Of
the utmost value to me.
I got 1t none too soon, for half an
hour later we were on our way to
Client. Our party consisted of five
British officers and one French officer.
At Client, where we had to wait for
several hours for another train to take
us direct to the prison camp in Ger
many, two other prisoners were added
to our party.
In the interval we were locked In a
room at hotel, a guard sitting at the
door with rife on his knee. 1t would
have done my heart good for the rest
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03

Joined in the general laughter which
followed every sally.
called to German officer who was
passing our window.
you're an officer, aren't YOU" !
asked, respectfully enough.
Eyes, what of it?' he rejoined.
swell, in England" / said, 1--WE let
your officers who are prisoners ride
first class. Can't you fix 1t so that we
can be similarly treated, or least be
transferred to second-class compart-
ment?",
"If / had my way" he replied, you'd
ride with the hogs"
Then he turned to the crowd and
told them Of my request and how he
had answered me. and they all laughed
hilariously.
This got me pretty hot.
"That would be a d sight
better than riding with the Germans !"
I yelled after him, but If he consid-
cred that a good joke, he didn't pass
IL on 10 the crOWu.
Some months later when / had the
honor of telling my story to King
George, he thought this incident was
one of the best jokes he had ever
heard. I don't believe he ever laughed
harder In his life.
Before our train pulled out, our
guards had to present their arms for
inspection and their rifles were loaded
in our presence to let US know that
they meant business.
From the moment the train started
on it's way to Germany, the thought
kept coming to my head that unless L
could make my escape before we
reached that reprisal camp might as
well make up my mind, as far as /
was concerned, the war was over.
1t occurred to me that If the eight
of us in that car could jump at given
signal and seize those four Hun guards
by surprise, we'd have a splendid
chance Of besting them and jumping
off the train when 1t first slowed down,
but when l passed the idea on to my
comrades they turned 1t down. Even
If the plan worked out as gloriously
as I had pictured, they pointed out,
the fact that so many Of us had es-
capped would almost inevitably result
in our recapture. The Huns would
have secured Belgium till they had
got us and then we would all be shot.
Perhaps they were right.
Nevertheless, / was determined that,
no matter what the others decided to
do, was going to make one bid for
freedom, come what might.
AS we passed through village after
village in Belgium and / realized that
we were getting nearer and nearer to
that dreaded reprisal camp, | con-
Guided that my one and only chance Of
getting free before we reached it was
through the Window l would have
to go through that window while the
train was going full-speed, because If
waited until it had slowed up or
stopped entirely, 1t would be a simple
matter for the guards to overtake or
shoot me.
l opened the window. The guard
who sat opposite me--so close that
his feet touched mine and the stock
of his gun which he held between his
knees occasionally struck my foot
made no objection, imagining no doubt
that found the car too warm or that
the smoke, with which the compart-
ment was filed, annoyed me.
AS / opened the window. the noise
the train was making as 1t Numbered
along grew louder. 1t seemed to say ::
You're fool If you do; you're fool
IL you don't--you're a fool If you do
you're fool If you don'tP-and i said
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03
(TO BE CoNTINUED)
Spanish Cedar sawdust.

Some curious uses are found for
the better kinds of sawdust. One of
these pertains to the Spanish cedar
sawdust, which is of extreme light
ness. 1t is employed for packing cheap
chemicals contained in glass and ship
ped for long distances. In this rela-
ton there must be taken into consid-
GRAFTON the question of weight and
freight charges, and so Spanish cedar
sawdust enters the equation.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03

stretcher. For seven days, he told us,
| he had lain in shell hole, wounded,
and he was almost famished, and we
were mighty glad to share our ban
quet with him.
We called on each man for speech,
and one. might have thought that we
were at a first-class club meeting. A
few days after that our party was
broken up and some of the men. sup
pose, shall never see again.
One Of the souvenirs of my adven-
ture is check given me during this
banquet" by Lieut.. James Henry
Dickson Of the Tenth Royal Irish Flu
| sileers, fellow prisoner. 1t was for
20 francs and was made payable to
the order of "Mr. Pat O'Brien, End
Lieut. Poor Jim forgot to scratch
out the "London" and substitute
"Courtrap' on the date line, but its
value as a souvenir is just as great.
When he gave it to me he had no idea
that I would have an opportunity so
soon afterward to cash 1t In person,
although I am quite sure that what
ever financial reverses ! may be des-
tined to meet, my want will never be
great enough to induce me to realize
on that check.
There was one subject that was
talked about in this prison whenever
conversation Jagged, and suppose it
is the same in other prisons too. What
were the chances of escape.
Every man seemed to have a differ
ent idea and one way, suppose, was
about as impracticable as another.
None of us ever expected to get
chance to put our ideas into execution,
but 1t was interesting speculation, and
anyway one can never tell what OPP
portunities might present themselves.
One suggestion was that we disguise
ourselves as women. "O'Brien would
stand better chance disguised as
horsew declared another, referring to
the fact that my height II am six feet
two inehes) would make me more con-
splcuous as woman than as a. man.
Another suggested that we steal
German Gotha-a type of airplane
used for long-distance bombing. 1t is
these machines which are used for
bombing London. They are manned
by three men, one sitting in front with
a machine gun, the pilot sitting behind
him and an observer sitting in the rear
with another machine gun. We fig
ured that, at pinch, perhaps, seven
or eight of us could make our escape
in single machine. They have two
motors of very high horse power, fly
very high and make wonderful speed.
But we had no chance to put this idea
to the test.
] worked out another plan by which
I thought might have a chance If /
could ever get into one of the German
airdromes. / would conceal myself in
one of the hangers, wait until one of
the German machines started out, and
as he TAXED along the ground l would
rush out, shout at the top of my voice
and point excitedly at his wheels. This,
l figured, would cause the pilot to stop
and get out to see what was wrong.
BY that time would be up to him, and
as he stopped over to inspect the ma
chine, / could knock him senseless,
jump into the machine and be over the
lines before the Huns could make up
their minds just what had happened.
1t was a fine dream, but my
chance was not to come that way.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03
Vibrations Ear Can Detect

The ordinary human ear can detect
tone whose vibration rate is at least
$4,000 vibrations second, while the
whistle viii produce 5000 a second.
This upper limit varies with the age
of the individual to such an extent
that, If the upper limit at sixteen
years Of age were $4,000 vibrations, at
sixty years Of age 1t would be, about
$4,000 q second.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03
FROM THE WINDOW OF A TRAIN RUNNING 35 MILES AN
HOUR, 0'BRlEN MAKES LEAP FOR LIBERTY.

SynopssPat OBen resident of Momence Ill., after seeing
American flying the Mexican border 1916
joins the British Royal Flying Canada and after brief train
period He assigned squadron active
service the front He several hot fights with German
from which he victorious Finally fight with four
German flyers 0Ben He falls 5000 feet
death by miracle awakes find himself prisoner in German
hospital with bullet hole his mouth After few days in the
hospital, he is prison Courtrai.
Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-08-03

Travelling at night and hiding
by day, subsisting on raw veoe-
tables stolen from gardens,
o'Brien crswIs through Ger
many and Luxembourg toward
Belgium. Some of the terrible
hsrdsrps that he endured and
the perls that he encountered
are described in the next In.
stalIment.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
-.Steelton Churches
sTEELTON CHURCHES

First Methodist-The Rev. II. A.
Sawyer. pastor. will preach at 1O:45
and 7.3O; Sunday school, $50; Ep-
worth League, $50.
Main Street Church of God-The
Rev. G. w. Getz. pastor will preach
at 1890 on "Paul's Farewell and at
T.30 on babylon the Great" Sunday
school, .; C. E., G.; Senior c. e, $50.
Grace United Evangelical - The
Rev. j. X. Hoffman, pastor, will
preach at 1890 on Unity of Believ-
ers" and at 7.S0 on Trees of the
Lords Planting - The Flourishing
and satisfied Life" Sunday school.
9.15, address by the Rev. II. H.
Rupp; c. E., 6.45.
st. Johns Lutheran-The Rev. G..
N. Lauffer, pastor, will preach at
1O.45 on 1.-THE Right to Sonship" and
at 7.3O on Restraint" Sunday school
at $50; intermediate C. f., $50.
First Reformed-The Rev. ii. II.
Rupp. pastor, will preach at 1915 on
sThe Voice of the Trees" and at 7.S0
on why I Am an Optimist;" Thurs
day. consistory.
Trinity Episcopal-The Rev. w. C.
Heilman, rector. s. Holy Commun-
ion; 10. church school and rector's
Bible class; IL, morning prayer and
sermon, "The Spirit That Con-
vinces;" s. prayer and sermon, "The
Course" Tuesday, s. prayer and SER
mon; Wednesday. 8, feast of Saints
phiIlip and James, Holy Communion.
Centenary United Brethren-The
Rev. A. X. Wier, pastor. will preach
AT IL on Gods Message to the Dis
couraged" and at 7.S0 on "A Safe
Investments" Sunday school, 2.45;
Senior C. T., $50.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
DR.. Sam, Small and the
Little Giant to Talk
of Prohibitions Growth

THE prospects for prohibition in
pennsylvania were never before so
bright, If we can only press the battle
without relaxation" declared DIR. Err
nest V. Claypool, superintendent OF
the Harrisburg District, Pennsylvania
Anti-Saloon League, to- day, when he
gave out letter which was sent to
all clergymen. 1T looks now as
though the dry forces will win the
fight for the House of Representa-
tives in the General Assembly, and
there is hope for the winning of the
Senate also"
That Harrisburg shall do it's part in
the great contest arrangements are
being made to bring here some of the
try. the first one being Clinton Ia
Howard, of Rochester, known as the
Little Giant" who will speak in
Chestnut Street Auditorium Sunday
May 5, at p. m. He has a national
reputation as a temperance worker
and is known here. The second visi-
tor will follow in two days, for the
Prohibition forces are going to main
tain an intensive drive. He is the
famous of all living orators on pa
triotic and prohibition themes.
The age of II found him a Confed-
crate soldier: manhood saw him an
officer in the United States Army dur
ing the Spanish War; he has three
sons serving now. Activities in fight
ing "booze" have resulted in his being
twice shot, three times cut with
knives, twice beaten with clubs and
left for dead. For wit, humor. sar-
casm, logic and eloquence he stands
alone, and Harrisburg will learn
things about the liquor evil it never
heard, says DR.. Claypool.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27

ter challenged and endeavored to
beat him in the dash to the tape.
The time for Berry's squad was
3.42 3-5.
In the American college champion
ship distance medley race the Uni
versity of Chicago team outc1assed
Penn's squad from the first lap. and
Coach Stages team won with more
than 100 yards to spare.
The day was ideal for the sports,
warm sun Frightening up the field,
which had a decidedly military as
pect by reason of the many event s
in which soldiers in uniform partici-
pated, judged by officers of the
Army and Navy.
Lower Merton High School won the
Philadelphia suburban championship,
defeating Cheltenham.
Coach Alex. Grants Episcopal
Academy team continued its victor
ious march in the interacademic ath-
letic championship race, beating
Penn Charter. Their time was $50.
Northeast won the local high
school honors, defeating. Central in
$40 AS.
Two relay teams representing the
John Wanamaker Collegiate Insti-
tute, of this city and New York, had
a test of endurance, and the visiting
team proved the better, winning in
$40.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
GOLF SEASON TO
OPEN UP TODAY
Reservoir Park Links Are in
Fine Condition; Competent
Official in Charge

Favorable weather conditions to-
day indicated a successful opening
of the golf season to-day. Plans
called for a start one week ago, but
rain interfered. To-day local play
ers found all courses in much better
condition.
Big improvement on Reservoir
Park links will bring increased in
terest in golf sport this season. 'Fhe
work of the new professional, Robert
Fairbairn, along this line has been
strongly commended.
Two Tees Changed
Yesterday he moved two tees and
again slightly increased the length
of the course. Hole No. 2 has been
pulled back at least twenty yards
and temporary tee has been con-
structed for to-day's play. The same
plan was followed at hole No. s.
however, in this case the distance
was increased by nearly 100 yards.
Schedules are being arranged TO
prevent any interference when match
games are on. Every opportunity
possible will be given for individual
playing. A team will be picked 70
represent this city in out-ot-town
contests.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27

WELLINGTON GILMORE JONES.
Wellington G.. Jones. for twenty
one years railroad and sporting edi-
tor of the Harrisburg Telegraph,
leaves the service of the paper to-
day on furlough to do war work for
the government.
Mr.. Jones is beyond the draft
age, but his patriotism is of the kind
that is not dimmed by years and un-
der Major Gray he will become chief
clerk and confidential man for the
head of the fire and police depart
ments on the big ordnance depot de-
velopment at Middletown.
The Telegraph will miss "Welly"
as much as his many followers will
miss his chatty sporting gossip in
"Welly's Corner" No man in Penn
acquaintance or more genuine
friends than Mr.. Jones. He abs
been prominent in baseball since the
days of the old Pennsylvania State
League and before, and has been
"a great advocate of school athletics
and the training of young men in
clean sport of all kinds. He was for
years identified with theatrical work
and is known all over the country in
theatrical circles. Mr.. Jones is the
only honorary member of the Middle
Division Veterans Association of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
and is prominent in the State Fire
mems Association. He is a past ex-
alted ruler of Harrisburg Lodge of
Elks. At the conclusion of his war
work the Telegraph hopes again to
number him as a regular member
of it's staff. Meantime he will con-
tinue as a regular contributor to the
railroad column.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
EnOla Night Force at
Car Shops Shows Results

The night force of the Enola car
shops have been the first to go "over
the top" in the Third Liberty Loan
drive conducted by the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad Company. 1t shows
them to, be 100 per cent. American,
Following are the names of the men
who belong to the car shops: d. f..
Wenrick, w. L. Dunkle, G. G. Kinter.
j. Vanasdlan, III. i. Wittle, A. Miller.
l.. w. Prosser, a. II. Betz, r. S.
George, ]. f. Myers, l.. o. Sadler.
w. r. Sadler, G. d. Otstot, j. f. Bru-
baker, II. f. Enck, C. T. Sites. G. H.
Zorger, c. S. Vert, J. c. Reside. c..
M. Mccoy, c. n. Brubaker, P. Cope,
G. Moran. Jr., A. L. Adams.
The following are the night at
tendants of the storehouse who also
belong to the 100 per cent. American
Club: c. n. Myers, p. b. McMullen.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
"Buy Bonds" Is Appeal Of
Steelton Boy in Service

John L. McCahan, Company G.,
3O4th Ammunition Train at Camp
Meade, VINO formerly resided in
Mohn street, has addressed a num-
Der of letters to residents of the
First ward urging them to buy Lib
erty Bonds. McCahan in his letter
tells his former friends what he
would receive with the money they
loan the government in the form of
bonds.
His letter follows:
Camp Meade, Md,
April 25, 1918.
Dear Sir:
I take the liberty of addressing
this letter to you to show how the
soldiers from your home town feel
about the Third Liberty Loan. If
you have bought or will buy $50
bond l will receive one trench knife,
five rifle grenades, fourteen hand
grenades. One 500 bond will clothe
me or feed me for eight months
One $50 bond will clothe me and
equip me for oversee service.
Three 800 bonds will clothe me
and keep me in France for n year.
Some subscriber to the Liberty
Loan may know that he has made
the above possible. Why not let it
be you?
If you have purchased to your
greatest possible extent pass this on
to some one else. Every one of us
needs some one behind providing
the money and tools.
I'm going across-you come across.
Yours very truly,
JOHN l.. McCAHAN.
3O4th Am. Train, Go. G, Camp
Meade, Md.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
STEELTON NEWS ITEMS
EXPECT TO REACH
GOAL OF 100000
Committeeman Make Final
Effort to Break Record in
Third Loan Drive

Steelton has again displayed it's
patriotism in supporting war funds
with the splendid success of the
Third Liberty Loan campaign in this
district, which closes officially to-
day. Late this afternoon about $685.
900 had been subscribed, according
to unofficial reports.
Although the campaign closes Of
ficially to-day, subscriptions. can be
made at the local banks until May 4.
it was announced this morning.
Subscriptions that are likely to be
made during this period, together
with the amount subscribed that has
not yet been reported, officials hope
to reach the 100000 mark. 1t is
not likely that this district will dou-
BILE it's quota as was the case in 9TH
er drives. committeeman to-day said.
Yesterdays report of the drive was
to the effect that $57O,5OO had been
subscribed by 1904 subscribers. OF
this amount large portion has been
subscribed by steel plant employees.
According to unofficial information,
reports of $4,000 in subscriptions
made this morning by steel plant
employees were filed by department
superinten'dents.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
NIDDLETowN CHURCHES

Methodist-The Rev. James Cum
ningham. 1916 and 7.30.
; Royalton United Brethren--The
Rev. William Beach. 1880 and 7.3O.
Presbyterian-The Rev. T. C. Nc
Carroll. II, Purified by Hope;"
7.30, Life From Death"
st. Peters Lutheran-The Rev.
Fuller Bergstresser. 1915, "On the
Road" 7.30. The Meeting Place"
United Brethren-The Rev. /. II.
Albright. IL, "Bibles Specifies;" 7.3O,
the. Rev. A. e. G.. Booster.
Church of God-The Rev. o. NJ,
Kraybill. II. THE Unjust Judge"
7.30, rs Romanism Christianity"
st. Mary's atholic-The Rev.
Jules Foin. Holy Mass at s and 10;
vespers and benediction, 7.3O.
st. MichaeIs and All-Angels Epis-
copal-The Rev. Floyd Appleton.
Sermon at 4.30.