The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-04-10
TRIED TO CAPTURE KAISER.
Colonel Lea is Said to Have Entered
Dutch Castle in Search of Bill.


Columbia, S. C.-While Col. Luke
Lea, former congressman from Ten
nessee, who returned home with the
| thirtieth division the other day spent
several days in Columbia, denies it,
one of the most thrilling episodes of
the war is credited to him by officers
of the Old Hickory outfit. This ex-
| plot was nothing less than an at
tempt on the part of Colonel Lea, so
the story runs, to kidnap William
Hohenzollern.
When it is remembered that Colo
mel Whittlesey is now denying that
that when his lost battalion was call
ed upon by the Germans to surrender
he told them ito go to hell and it
has also been denied that Pershing
are here" one is inclined to believe
said anything like Lafayette, we
there may be reasons for these deui-
ais. Particularly in the case of Col.
Luke Lea and his reputed run-in with
the former kaiser.
That something happened which
provided a basis for all these stories
that are being told is apparent.
Moreover, advices from Washington
state that Secretary Of War Baker
admits that officers of the American
army attempted to kidnap the kaiser,
but the secretary will not state who
the officers were. An official report
of the incident was filed with the war
department and this described in de-
tail now the officers made thir way
into the quarters of the Hoherzol-
lerns at Amerongen and sought an
appointment with him. The fugitive
refused to give them an interview,
so the report runs. and they were
obliged to retire.
Furthermore, It is knoWn-and ad-
mitted by Colonel Lea-that he was
in Holland at the time, having gone
into that country on mission for
Colonel House, the presidents advis-
er. Whether or not he was the Of
ficer who attempted to capture the
former kaiser, he is nevertheless get
ting the credit for that exploit, and
he is given that credit by the men
who were with him for many months
in France.
The story has originated partly
from the official report made to Sec
retary Baker and partly from what
Colonel Lea's brother officers are
telling, and in many quarters it is be-
lieved that Colonel Lea's denial is
conditional, and that he refuses to
admit the attempted kidnapping be-
cause Of the fact that he is not al
lowed to disclose details in connec-
tion with such war incidents.
Colonel Lea, say the officers, was
at Luxembourg, and securing leave
of absence went into Holland. He
went to the same town where the
German ruler was stopping and to
the same building. He got through
various lines of soldiers, claiming to
be on mission for the American
government in neutral territory, He
even got into the building where the
kaiser was stopping. He had asked
permission to see the kaiser, but on
second thought the ruler asked that
the officer show his credentials from
his government. In some way the
real purpose of the colonel's mission
was guessed, and Colonel Lea had to
leave. Machine guns were turned on
him as he fled, but he escaped unin-
jured from the premises.
With Colonel was another officer,
a captain, and also a non-commis-
stoned officer Officers who tell tha
story state that Colonel Lea and the
other soldiers were placed under ar
rest for having made the attempt to
kidnap the kaiser, for he was acting
without orders to do so, but he was
later released and is now in Tennes-
see, having returned with his troops.