The state herald., 1919-06-20

knew InaI OOSB6Ck never IOrget1 anu
will get revenge for the slightest mis-.
treatment, even II It means his death.
I have seen sentries turn aside from
the beat they were walking and get out
Of the way when they saw q Cossack
coming. There were very few Coss-
acks there. however. I do not think
they let themselves get captured very
often.
We had roll call every morning. Of
course. and were always mustered In
front Of our barracks, the middle Of
the line being right at the barracks
door. Sometimes when the cold got
too much for them, the men nearest
the door would duck into the bar
racks. As they left the ranks the
other men would close up and this
kept the line even. with the center still
opposite the barracks door. Finally
almost all of the men would be In the
barracks and by the time the roll was
over not one remained outside. This
seemed to peeve the German officers
a great deal, but they did not punish
us for It until we had been doing Il
for some time.
For several days I had noticed that
someone else answered for two men
who had disappeared; at least l had
not seen them for some time. l did
not think much about 1t, or ask any
questions. and I did not hear anyone
else talk about Il, but I was pretty
sure the two men. q Russian and Q
Britisher. had escaped. But they were
marked present at roll call and all
accounted for. Everything went along
very well until one day when the name
"Fontaine" got by without being an
swered. Fontaine was a French fre-
man from the Cambrian Range and
that was the first time he had not been
present. We saw what was coming
and we began to get pretty sore at
Fontaine for not telling us. 10 we could
answer for him and keep the escape
covered.
The minute they found our count
one short they blew the whistles and
a squad Of sentries came up as an
extra guard. They counted Us again,
but BY sneaking back Of the line and
closing up again we made the count
all right except for one man-ron.
taine. We would have tried to cover
up for him, except that they had d.
ready discovered his absence. Now,
We thought. they will nab rontains
but will not discover the escape Of the
others.
But evidently they suspected some
thing. for soon they brought over q
petty oflicer from H. n. 8. Nomad.
who had not been with US before, ara
forced him to call the roll from the
papers. while they watched
the men - they answered. Then they
discovered that two more besides Fon-
taine were missing and began to search
for them.
The other two spoke German and
had been missing for at least three
days and. I think. had escaped BY this
time. They were not returned while
] was at Braudenburg.
This was about Z q. N. They drilled
NJ down to the little lake. where the
cold was much greater. and kept %
there until 8 p. m. without food or
drink. Al about eight that morning
they found Fontaine In Q French bar.
racks and kicked him all the way b
the lake where we were.
All day long we stood there. falling
one By one and getting kicked or beat
en- each time until we dragged our.
selves up again. Two or three died.
! do not know the exact number. But
we hnd enough strength. when ordered
back to the barracks. to kick Foo.
tains ahead Of % all the way. We
did not get anything 70 eat until ssvea
the next moruins-twenty.four houFs
without food and water. ten Of which
were spent In the snow without any
protection from the cold and wind.
No wonder we kicked Footains for
bringing this punishment on ~ and %.
dansering the two who had escaped
be had simply strolied over to ths
Preach barracks and forgot to return.
Nov. the food received was just
about enough to kssp % alive. I sup
poss. with true kuitur. the Huns had
figured out Just how much Il would
take to keep . man % this side of
the starvation line and gave - that
much and no more. 30 We were always
famisAsd-always hungrisr than 20
probably ever have beea. But some.
timss when We were ravsoously hunp
gry and could not hold cot any ionses
we would trade rations.
One man would trade his whole 70.
tiou for tho next day for q half ntion
today. That II. n you were 10 hungry
that you thought you could not iase
out the day 90 your regular share. yos
would tell SOMEONE slss that II ~ ssve
you half his share today you woai1
give him al of yosrs tomorrow. II kA
was Q gambler hs would take ysu up.
That II. 10 would gamhir % his being
alive tomorrow. not - yosr keeping