The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1918-01-25
LIEUT.. PAT O'BRIEN
MEETS king GEORGE
GfVRS MONARCH EXPERIENCES
IN nxCAPlNG FROM THE
GEIsMANs.
(Com IA ercial Appeal.)

London. Jan. 1S.-Flight-Iieut
Pat O'Brieu, the former Santa j.,
Railway man, who effected a TO
raarkablc escape from Germany after
being shot down in an aerial batt!,
as a member Of she Royal Flying
Corps. who walked across . part ol
Germany. all OF Lsxcsnburs. and Bel
GUM before digging under the wire
Of death" and reaching Amsterdam.
has just told his tory tn the king AZ
Buckingham Palace. And OBrien
and the king have complimentary
/ Impressions Of each other.
Il have met some of the heads Of
| departments on the Western division
of the Santa Fe, some Of the big
business men in Chicago, aud few
of the men doing the fighting in i'm
portant positions in this var, and :
want to say that the king is one Of
the best" said O'Brien. who is a ma
tive Of Momence. Ill, and resident
of San Francisco. II don't think ne
knows what side means. We shook
hands heartily three times-on my
arrival, when | thought | might he
taking too much of his time and start
ed 70 go. and finally said good-by.
II received telegram to call al
1880 O'Clock and. arriving two min
ha r. i,to rat
road time | WAS not kept waiting
a minute, but was taken directly 20
aim by one of his secretaries who
withdrew on presenting me. We then
chatted for 40 minutes. the king
showing great interest in nay eXper-
ieoces and questioning ne minutely
as to my route from the time JUMP
ed out of the train window until |
myseif nearby and studied
the electrically charged barrier he
tween Belgium and Hvlland for about !
a week OF nights before SUGGESTING !
in a plan of ESCAPE.
The king first offered ma chair !
but when / declined politely stood 1
With me throughout our conyersa- .
ion He certainly had mora than an (.
amateurs knowledge of electricity, +
as | gathered l'y the iirely Interest he :
iisliayed az the several ways | had 7,
m mind as to low best to pUt the hive (
wr,s out of business | thought I
irst of grounding the current in the !
several wires gith horizontal mHtal /
Jar. then MADE q ladder OF sapplsngs
30 Green that the wood proved a con-
!uctor and d ,cided On anosher stan 1
"He was keenly interestsd in my !
Jumping through the window of the !
rain and the guards effort to hold |
ne in. tnink lie laughed most /
heartily at my passage with the I
guard previously when | complained !
d our having to rite in fourth Class
The guard respond
ed that we rightful1y should be rid
nG in hog trucks. | answered that
such woald be preferable to riding /
With Germans, and then my English ,
speaking guard exploded in gusterals,
not knO 0ing profanity in & :,
foreign tongue.
II couldn't realize the king was
king. He seemed just like other |
men, but more Interested in my sto-
ry. Ha expressed great sympathy |
Tor my mother owing to her belief
that ! had been killed. it indeed hav-
ina been so announced in the British |
official report. have been given |
leave for three months to visit her |
at Momence, H., but my time may be
extended. II is very likely that l
shall be transferred to the American
Flying Corps, in which | received my !
first training and was serving at San !
Diego before becoming restless and
enlisting with the Canadians in Vic
toria. / have now about recovered
from the effects of seventy-two days
diet of cabbage and turnips."