The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-07-18
STARVED And BEATEN
IN ARMIES PRISONS
Brutal Assaults Made BY
Arrogant Of;icers-No
En- Provocation

fore special House committee in
vcstigating alleged cruelities to mill
tary prisoners in France declared that
mcrCiless assaults were committed
without prOvocation on the prisoners
by arrogant officers in charge of the
prisons and camps. Only one of the
witnesses. all of whom were charged
with being absent without leave. was
convicted. the others having been ac-
quilted or the charge dismissed.
THE Bastile." the StOckade."
,"Prison Farm No. g" and "Stann's
Hotel" also known as the brig"
were the places named by the witness
SEES as the scene of the alleged cruel
ties, which were said to have extended
over several months in 1918. Some
of the officers in charge Of the prison
camps. it was said. had been convict
ed by court martials and others were
awaiting trial.
/ Lieut.. Hard Boiled" Smith. one of
+ the prison camp officers, was men
toned frequently. while others nam
ed were Lieutenants Mason and Sui
Ivan, and Seageants BAH, Wolfmeyer
and Bush.
Did they try the general in charge
Of the camp" asked Chairman Royal
johnson, who left his seat in Congress
to serve with the army abroad.
Not that anyone heard" respond
ed a witness.
When Lieut.. Hard Boiled" Smith
was tried at Tours early this year. a
hundred witnesses appeared against
'him and he was convicted. testified
Sidney Eomp. 40 West One Hundred
and Torty-sixth street, y. Y. City,
who was a corporal with Company F..
102nd Engineers, 27th Division.
Fifty Witnesses whom 7 can name
will verify everything said here. and
tell more, too" asserted Kemp.
Several OF the soldiers testified that
in addition TO being beaten, food in
small amounts and of poor quality
was supplied and that the bedding
was poor, sometimes the mattress be-
ing in mud under a small tent.
- prisoner was smiling and an Of
ficer says Take that smile off, or
will" a. II. Mendleburg, 14O1 East
Fayette street, Baltimore who served
with Base Hospital AZ testified
The officer lid by rolling the man
in the mud" Mendleburg added.
Did you get that officers name?"
asked Representative Flood, Demo-
crat. Virginia.
I'm too sorry l did not take his
name" answered Mendleburg,
When telling of poor food, Mendle-
burg said that IF you asked for an
extra piece of bread you were flat on
your back" Meals, he and others
said, consisted of a stew. made from
canned beef. one slice of bread and
part of cup of coffee. Sometimes
only the stew was served.
Charles Goldberg, 800 Central
Park West, n. Y City, a corporal in
Company G., 3Sth Infantry. Bird Divi-
sion, said that while at the Brig"
he was knocked down by an officer
and one of his teeth knocked out
when he refused to surrender his
money belt. Drawing black Jack,
the officer and Goldberg fought a few
minutes but the witness said he was
forced 10 surrender because of the
pain he suffered from blows on the
arms.
Paul BOggs, Baldwin, ~ Y. 31Sth
Field Signal Battalion, said men at
the farm were often 50 hungry that
they were glad to cot dirty potato
pealings." He said that he dipped
IA lineup in a swill barrel 50 as to set
soMe grease that he woIII eat with
a relish"
Instead of giving a command. il
was generally given with a club as
serted Boggs, VINO said he saw at
least fifty men beaten
Alvin Bates, AZ Hawthorne street,
Brooklyn, who Wa, with The head.
quarters troops End Army, said when
ever there was a formation, a man
was beaten up every five min Ltes at
the prison farm He and l'oggs said
that a Pole, serving in the American
army, was beaten and soon afterward
the prisoner cut his throat with a
razor.
Medical inspection was a farce"
said Bates, referring to the farm.
You went in one door and were
kicked out another"
Gorge l.. Pallitto, 315 Walnut ST.,