The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-06-11

Tia l9A y = GA0 AAAAA a AA4AA AAoC -
ter a few questions he looked at me and
laughed. and said. come. come. you don't
mean 10 tell me that you don't know
where you have been all the time?" and
I said. No. but I do not intend TO tell
you where I've been" This made him
mad and he clustered a little. but when
l told him I did not intend TO give away
any information at all he quieted down
and had me taken out.
The next morning 1 was taken back to
the town where I was first taken through
TO the garrison headquarters. where 1
was turned over TO the guard handling
prisoners, etc. I had a rather peculiar
experience in front OF this headquarters.
While standing there a fine auto drove
up and stopped and four or Ave officers
got out and went inside for a few min
utes. One OF them. an especially hne
looking man. about forty. came out in
the lead and noticed me standing across
the street. dressed in the forest green OF
the marine corps. He locke at me a
moment. then came across holding out
his hand. saying. Wei. well. well, what
is this? An American / shook hands
with him and told him I was. We had
quite a conversation there. about the
States. etc. He knew Gary well. He
| wanted TO KNOW why we were IN ANlS
beastly war anyway? Why we want
ed to come over and mix up in this
awful mess?f and more to the same ef-
feet. I said. May 1 speak freely?" and
he smiled and said so ahead.
Well. 1 mentioned the Lusitania first
and said that we did not give a damn
If they sank all the ships on the ocean
carrying contraband. but we wouldn't
stand for sinking without warning and
no ship should be sunk before she had
been visited and searched. Then I told
him that we considered the declaration
Of the forbidden zone as a direct blow
against US. I said that we were ready
TO sell anything to Germany as to any
OF the entente allies. II they would come
and get II. and II was not our fault they
couldn't make the effort. Then I spoke
Of the violation Of the neutrality of Bel
GUM and he smiled and shook hands
again and gave me some cigarettes and
said. We'll. I see you at least have some
idea of why you are over here. but 1 feel
| sorry for you. my boy: you will have TO
work now. and work hard. but you won't
be mistreated." Some Of the other Of
hcers stepped up and shook hands with
me. and so I asked one of them IL IL was
asking too much to know who I had just
been talking to. The big fellow heard
me and coming back. he Strengthened up
and said, 7 am Count Won q don't re-
men1be the name), the personal repre-
sentative of the Hamberg American Line
at London before the war. Then he left.
I was taken TO the Gefangen Lager.
the Enclosure in which prisoners of war
were kept; given two rather poor
blankets and put to work the next day
unloading wounded Germans from their
motor ambulances at the driving station.
The food was such that I couldn't eat
for several days. but 1 soon came TO It
and was glad to get anything. We got
a cup Of ''crusty' coffee for breakfast. a
ladle Of soup for dinner. and for supper
soup and coffee. Bread was issued once
a day, one loaf to ten men. at the noon
mes.
In a few days they brought In some
more American prisoners until finally
Second and Third divisions and q few OF
our motor ambulance men.
we were soon put to work on the am
munltion dump unloading munitions
our guards were as lenient with US as
possible. but the officers in charge would
keep after US until we'd get mad and tell
them Ito go TO hell" The expression on
their faces was rich. they understood
but didn't know how to take it. and
would usually go away and leave US
alone for a little while.
1t was almost impossible to get any.
thing to smoke so we would shoot
butts" along the road and when we
would get enough together. a guard
would give US a cigarette paper and lei
US hide behind a pile of shells and smoke
until an officer would heave in sight
then we'd douse the pill and get to work
again.
Our artillery was Smelling the towr
every night. and we had some close calls
from our own guns. one setting FIRE &c
a number Of sheds in the next yard &c
where we were kept. destroying about
two million rounds OF French Hotchkiss
ammunition and setting of a bunch OF
Stokes Morton bombs. The fireworks
lasted for about three days and 1t was
great. Our galley stores were in a shed
in the next yard. next to the one thai
had the ammunition. and shortly after
the fire started. while the Germans and
the French prisoners were running
around wild. we Yank were raiding the
commissary. getting something over :
loaf or bread .apeice. which we had tc
4 keep H4QQ6I until IL was eOHE- MAASA
wasn't long I can tell you. Cartridge
cases and bullets. not very dangerous
were flying everywhere, but liable to put
an eye out or give you a pretty bad cut
There was a big wheat field beside thu
ammunition dump. and as there was No
chance Of getting away from our en-.
closure, I made two attempts at II by
getting away and hiding in the wheat
field until dark and going as far as
could at night. I was zone from $50
p. m. IN the afternoon until about IL
a. m. the next day. The first time We
had covered about ten kilos when We
were caught by a lone German while
getting a drink out Of a little creek
and brought back and confined on bread
and water for over twenty-four hours
The second time we got up close enough
to the front TO hear the rifle fire. and
were caught by a bunch of artillery men
Another three days in the 'hoch" and
back to work.
Dur food was such that We were starv.
ing TO death and we can thank our own
artillery for keeping US alive. As I said
I'VE got more or less Smelling every might
and in the morning on our way to work
we would find dead horses strung along
the roads, killed by our shells. W.
would run out and cut of chunks OF