Jackson County journal., 1919-02-14

was StItluS Ieduy " ledV0. 1uey Atu
to drag me the rest of the way to the
barracks and throw snow on me before
I came to.
IGunner Depew's interview with Mr..
Gerard took place at the Dulmen prison
camp or about February l. 1917 On
February 3, our state department demand
ed the release of sixtytwo Americans
captured on British vessels and held as
prisoners in Germany. On the same day,
President Wilson severed diplomatic rela-
tions with Germany. Ambassador Gerard
left Germany exactly one week later: The
newspaper that Gunner Depew saw must
have been issued after February 10. It
was not until March g. 1917, however, that
Gunner Depew was actually released from
neutrality-suspicious. Motel
do not know what happened during
the next few days.
But a week or so later the Spanish |
ambassador and four German officers |
and Swatts came to our barracks and |
the ambassador told me I would be
released! 1t was all I could do to !
keep from fainting again. Then Swatts
asked me in English if 1 had anything
to say about the treatment in the
camp, and 1 began to think maybe
it was frame-up Of some kind, so all
said was, 'When will I get out of
here?" and he said, "Why, you will be
released tomorrow"
did not wait to hear any more, but
rushed into the barracks again, singing
and whistling and yelling us loud as 1
could. The boys told me my face was
T III u
I had in my body had rushed to my
head because | could hardly walk for
a few minutes.
Then the men began to think 1 was
crazy and none OF them believed
would really be released, but that
was going to be sent to the mines, as
so many were. But I believed it, and
l just sat there on my bunk and be-
gan to dream of the food I would get
and what | would eat first, and so on.
, l did not sleep that night-just
walked from barracks to barracks un-
till they chased me away, and then
, walked up and down in my own bar
5 racks the rest of the night. When ]
got to the Russian barracks and told
4 not believe me at all, although they
r knew there had been some important
D visitor at the camp.
). But when / walked out of their door
}, l said, "Dobra vetshav," which means
t "Good night!" Then they must hav,
/, believed me, for they called me back
s and all the men gave me addresses O
e people to write to in case / should ge
away.
d They were all talking at once an,
e one of the doctors got very excited an,
e got down on his knees with his hand
r in the air. ALBERT" he said, 'if yO
n have the God-given luck to get out O
If Germany-not for my sake, but 70
is the sake of us who are here in thi
Id hell-hole, promise me you will tell a
e, the people wherever you go what the
" are doing to us here. Tell them not
v send money, for we can't eat none.
,e and not meat-just bread, breat
al bread"
And when l looked around all til
ne men were sitting on their beds cryin
IN and tearing their hair and sayin
ne bread, bread, bread over and owe
or again. Then each tried to give n
Id something, as if to say that even
re they did not get out, perhaps their bu
,s ton or belt or skull cap would get bal
"a to civilization.
or When | left their barracks I begs
We to cry, because it did not seem Pc
slble that | was going away, and ,
no ready I could see them starving slo'
no ly, just as had been starving.
The next morning a sentry came
nd my barracks, called out my name al
,as took me to the commander of t
he camp. They searched me, and tn
Then the men all thought they we
- just playing a joke on me, and tn
said so.
u The same thing happened the ne
IIII day, and when one of the men So
II|N that probably would be slammed
lin against wall and shot, began to fl
lin shaky, I can tell you.
Kin But the third morning. after til
NH had searched me, the commander sa
sAl .Well, you'll have to have bath
N fore you leave the country" and
<N was so glad that did not mind abe
1M the bath, although I remembered
NNs last one 1 had, and it did not agl
kl very well with me. After the ba
MM they drilled me out into the road.
2FI There were four sentries with I
AH but not Swatts, nor did I see b
n anywhere around, for which was S
"A ry. But all the boys came down
al the barbed wire, or to the gate, a
some were crying, and others w
cheering, and all of them were VI
\ much excited. But after minute
81 two they got together again and
Isl last thing heard was the song alb
81 packing up your old kit bag, and tn
81 care we downhearted?-Now II
dN were certainly game lads.
Z They did not take me straight