New Britain herald., 1919-10-11

Qulte CIOSo to lnC mousse IHiL ollel- 1 tered von Bissng, and diligent search was made by the German patrols, ] they were not discovered.
 , Patriotic Physicians. l When the Germans found that or : dinarv means of tracing the fugitives 1 had failed, they issued an order that i no doctor or nurse was to attend wounded men in allied uniforms, and that if doctors and nurses were sum- moned to attend such persons, they . were to report at once to the military authorities the facts regarding the i abode of such persons and the names and addresses of the persons sum- 1 mOning medical aid.
 It was a good thing for us that this order was disregarded by many patriotic doctors and nurses, for some of. the IS men who escaped were badly wounded and in need of immediate medical attention, the Germans having failed to do any thing for them during their period of captivity. It was nothing short of a scandal that such men should have been compelled to march through the streets under such conditions.
 
 Leroy, who for nearly four years la bored with us, giving most of his time to ministering to the wants of es- capped prisoners. For this he never received as much as a penny. Had he chosen he could have made large fees by attending to the wives and families of the large army of German officials who came into Brussels once
 
 was a very clever doctor and rather popular. He was always ready to turn from the richest of patients to attend to these poor prisoners who could only reward him with their gratitude.
 In May, last year, Leroy paid with his life for his devotion to these un- fortunate men. He had been sum- moned during the night to attend 10 a case of illness at the house of the governor-general. On the way to an- swer this call he was told of pris- oner belonging to the Cameron High landers who was in a critical condi- ton. Without hesitation he took the risk of offending the Germans and came to the aid of the prisoner, who was named George M'Killop. The German who had come to summon him to the house of the gov- ernor-general was apparently suspi- cious over the change of plan and | had the doctor followed to the house l in which M Killop lay. Dr. Leroy was 1 dragged from the bedside of his pa- tient and charged with assisting spies and other enemies of Germany. M'Killop was put on trial with him, and the most amazing lies were told to bear out the charge against them. Like many more of those associated with us, the doctor was offered his life upon one condition-that he be- tray those who were helping the pris- oners to escape, for the Germans were aware by then that there was in existence some organiza tion like ours.
 Cruel Torture.
 The better to aid them in their plan to induce the doctor to betray us, 1 they brought his young wife and baby l daughter to the place of execution 1 when the offer of life was being made. 1 Once more that scene, so often enact | ed in those terrible days. was gone 1 through. The firing party lined up 1 in view of the distracted wife, and 1 the doctor was told that he had to make his choice in the space of five minutes. He looked appealingly at his wife, and then at the baby girl | scarcely able to toddle.
 The little one seemed to regard everything as got up for her amuse- ment. Straying from her mothers side, she toddled toward the line
 where the firing party stood with | rifles grounded. She got hold of one 1 of the rifles and looked smilinglv into the face of the man holding it. Even l the hardened German soldiers could ] not keep back their tears. The moth CT brought the child back to her side, l and then started to answer the un- 1 spoken question of the husband as the officer in charge put the question for the last time.
 "Oh, my darling," she said in a voice that was firm with the firmness | O. resignation under g strong sense 1 Of duty, ''it is hard to part with you, l but I would rather we should part a l thousand times than that you should 1 bo falso to our country in this hour ! of trial. You know your duty dear
 est. DO not let thoughts of me and 1 baby influence you. We shall not 1 lack bread because of your noble sacrifice Let them do their worst ] Farewell"
 Chiid'S Applause.
 As she finished speaking the brave 1 woman held up the littlo girl to re- i ceive the last kiss of her father l Then husband and wife embrac ed
 fervently, and the German officer
 camo and told the condemned man
 to prepare for his fate, since he hac
 made his choice. With unbandageC
 eyes and firmly erect figure the brave
 doctor faced the firing party. The