Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-03
RED DCROSSSAVED
S.PRISONERS
Pcnnsylvanians in German
Prison Kept Alive by
Food Parcels
Z TALES OF HUN CRUELTY
Report to Navy Department
Tells of Narrowing Ex.
eperiences

Washington, Feb. s.--Interesting de-
tails of life in German prison camp
were given in report to the Navy De-
partment by Chief Gunner's Mate James
Delaney. of Maiden. Mass. one OF the
first men Of the United states navy to be
captured by the enemy. Delaney and
four other members OF the armed guard
of the steamship Campana were taken
prisoner August 6. 1917, after their ship
had been sunk by the U-6i. With De-
1aney were Boatswain's Mate Ray Roop,
Boyne City. Mich; Gunncrs Mate
Charles l.. Kline. Reading, Pa. and Sea-
men william A. Miller Ss45 Burley ave-
nue., Chicago and Fred 5. Jacob, 30 Eu-
reka street, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Released after the armistice. Delaney
recently returned 10 this country He
declared In his report, made public
today, that packages from the American
Red Cross saved him and his companions
at the Brandenburg prison camp from
starvation--the fate that befell hundreds
of Russian prisoners
when we received parcels from the
Red Cross or from home they had to be
censored by the commander OF the
camp" said the report. "1f II appeared
that Germany was winning, all our
cigarettes were broken in two. syrup,
coffee and tea and all articles would be
opened and poured into one basin and
mixed together We made reports 10
the Red Cross of parcels lost which had
been sent to Brsndenburg. II any one
made complaints about parcels they
'strafed' them and would hold them for
n couple of weeks. This took up with
the Spanish ambassador. but they never
ceased spelling parcels for all nationali-
ties. The French were punished more
than any other ally.
"All the medical treatment that was
given to US wac by the British Red
Cross. II man was sick and saw the
doctor, he was looked at and told he
was well and sent to work again, but
the Italian doctor and six Russian doc
tors, also an American merchant doctor,
would arrange so that those sick pa
tients would be put into a shed called a
hospital Many of them died. The
German doctor never saw anything Of
these men, but all the Allied doctors did
their best. Practically ell of the Amer
leans were taken down with the influenza
last April May and June, and what
little quinine the British gave me for
distribution the Germans never called
to see distributed.
The sleeping barracks were vary
flthy, being made from ordinary boards
covered with tar paper. The lighting
system was very poor. one bright light
being placed in very large room of
the barracks. They were literally COW
cred with bedbugs. feas and lice. We
were allowed to take bath every two
weeks. No soap or toilet gear were is
sued. We all had the Red Cross to
: thank for our lives"
- Delaney makes frequent references in
his report TO the intercessions in behalf
Of the prisoners by the Spanish ambas-
sador, TO whom, he says. the Americans
in the caup were most grateful
As soon as the arm!stice was signed
the demeanor of the guards underwent
an immediate change, according 10 the
report. the prisoners being asked to
Forget all our bad treatment. as they
would treat US as men"