Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-22
MORE KEYSTONE
II HOME
Heroes of 18th and 10Th
Divisions Arrive on
~ St. Louis
FOUGHT IN ARCONNE
Eight on Cruiser Were In.
termed in Germany for
T. Five Months
FOUGHT in

Another batch of Pennsylvania's
wounded heroes arrived in New YORK
on the cruiser St Louis. which has been
tossed about by the heavy seas for
the last fourteen days. Virtually all
Of them were from the Twenty-eignth
and seventy-ninth Divisions, n re-
ceived their wounds In the ST. Miniei
and Argonne offensive.
In this which was made up
of casuals from the hospitals In the
vicinity Of Bordeaux and known as
Casual Company 909. there were eight
men who for five months endured the
hardships and privations of various pris-
on camps throughout Germany. With
the exception Of Private Raymond SAT-
fran. 1oeth Infantry, Twenty-eighth
Division, who lived at 1873 Collins ave-
nue., Baltimore. the men were from
Pennsylvania.
They were Sergeant Charles w. Gra-
ham, 112th Infantry. Erie. who vas cap
tured in the fighting at the vesle River;
Sergeant Theodore johnson, 10th In
fantry, Wilkes-Barre, who was taken
prisoner in the Chateau Thierry drive.
when a french infantry regiment was
surrounded by the enemy Sergeant
William F. Scott, of the Tenth Field Ar
tillery. Third Division. Lebanon. cap
tured at the Marine while doing liaison
work in advance Of the infantry: Pri-
vate George J. Milrath, 112th Infantry,
Silver Creek Postofflce, New Philadel-
phia, taken at Chateau Thierry; Pri-
vate James Coffey, 10th Infantry, 262s
Federal street. Philadelphia, also taken
at Chateau Thierry. and Private Carl
M. Hostetlar, 10th Infantry, Myers
dale. another victim Of the same drive.
Pennsylvania Boys Turn Tide
It was during the early days Of July
of last year, when the Germans almost
succeeded in penetrating the thin line
of Americans which blocked the road to
Paris. that the Twenty-eighth Division
was rushed to the scene to stem the
tide. For two lays It almost seemed as
though the Germans would be success
ful. but then the Pennsylvania bows
rallied and started the enemy back, II
was during these critical hours that
the men returning on the st. Louis we're
captured.
The Americans taken by the Germans
in the last drive at Chateau Thierry
were Immediately rushed to regimental
headquarters and questioned by the in
telligence officers. These officers, first
by persuasion and then by using threat
ening tactics, endeavored to obtain mill
tary Information. In each instance the
men refused this information n as a
result were confined in small under
ground prisons within range of the AL
lied guns. Here they were given scant
%rations, and some of them who re-
Qureid medical attention because OF
slight wounds were entirely neglected
by the physicians who came to look them
over.
At the expiration Of another forty.
eight hours when the German officers
realized that their drive had been a
failure and that they would be COM
PEELED to withdraw. these Pennsyl.
vanians. with a number Of other Ameri'
car soldiers who had received the sam
abusive treatment, were transferred tc
several of the larger prison camps ir
Germany.
It was not until the last days of tn,
war, when defeat was obvious. that tn,
Germans ever treated these men In Q
humane manner In the latter part o.
October the American prisoners through
out Germany were sent to the concentra
ton camp at Rastatt. where there nevel
was any sign of maltreatment, and eveI
the food dolled out. although of an In
ferior quality. was more sustaining.
Foil Boche Trick for sympathy
There were a number Of American
at this camp who became suspicious o
I this sudden change of attitude and cam
to the conclusion that 1t was a sort o
propaganda. campaign. An investigation
was begun by the men and measure
taken to prevent the campaign from
being successful.
A committee OF non-commissioned ON
GERS was organized to censor the letter
leaving this camp for the friends an
relatives Of these men in the statei
1t was quite evident, the repatriate
men said today. that II this favorabl
news had reached home the enem
would nave scored somewhat in gettin
into the good graces of the people !
this country. This the Germans de
pended upon and knew they would re
quire at the Peace Conference.
The noncommissioned officer at tn
head Of the committee was an America
who had been fighting with the Frenc
n suffered for more than a year l
various camps. Shortly before the ce!
sation of hostilities the Germans disco,
cred the existence of this committee an
the leader was removed from this prise
but the Germans mad It known that !
harm had or would come to him. How
ever, the work of the committee col
tinued until the armistice went in
effect.