Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1919-08-22
RECEPTION AT
WASHBURN FARM
Lieutenant and Bride Receive
in Putney Home
War Correspondent of Boston Globe and
Capt. E. H. Cooper, Official Photog-
rapher, Present as Surprise

Washburn farm in Putney Friday eve
ming, when public reception was
given to Lieut.. Harold i. Washburn and
his bride, who recently returned from
France, where Lieut. Washburn saw serv
ice in the interpreters corps on the staff
of Maj Gen. Clarence r. Edwards at the
headquarters of the Goth division. The
affair was arranged by Lieut.. Washburn's
mother, Mrs. Mary f. Washburn, who
as surprise to her son and wife invited
rs a guest Frank p Sibley of the Boston
Globe, who was war correspondent of
the Globe and sent highly valuable news
stories concerning the men of New Eng
land, who made up the Goth division
The coming of Mr. Sibley was great
surprise to Lieut.. Washburn, and Mr..
Sibley also surprised Mrs. Mary L. Wash
burn by arriving a day ahead of the eX-
pected time and bringing with him Capt.
Edward II. Cooper of Atlantic City, n.
j., whose home is in Wilmington, Del.
Capt. Cooper was an official photogra
pher with the Goth division.
A large number of guests were pres
ent, from Putney, Westminster, Brattle
boro and other places, and they extended
cordial greetings to Lieut.. and Mrs
Washburn, who were married in Paris
June Is. The bride is a refined and at
tractive French young woman, and it
was a pleasure to all to meet and talk
with her and to welcome both her and
her husband. They plan to go soon to
Hanover N. H., Lieut.. Washburn having
been engaged as instructor in French at
Dartmouth college. Before her marriage
the bride was Mile. Simone Rodet.
The grounds were illuminated with
japanese lanterns, and in the house there
were decorations of flags and flowers,
Punch and waters were served and there
was music by fve-piece orchestra from
Brattleboro.
Soon after o'clock, while most of the
guests were seated on settees on the
lawn, Mrs. Washburn, the hostess, pre-
scented Capt. Cooper as the first speaker.
Capt. Cooper modestly refrained from
telling of his experiences, which were
among the most thrilling of the war, and
he spoke only very briefly, expressing his
pleasure at being present and telling of
associations with Lieut. Washburn in
France, referring especially to the fact
that he took Lieut.. Washburn in a car
to the hospital when that officer was ill
with humps.
He introduced Mr.. Sibley, who related
some of Mr.. Cooper's accomplishments
not only in the line of photography but
also as fighting man, having captured
eight Germans single handed. In one of
the advances, when the troops were in
hot combat, Capt. Cooper ran ahead of
the advancing line, set up his moving
picture camera, aimed it back toward the
Americans and made pictures of them as
they came up.
At another time when the Germans
were Smelling a town near Seicheprey
Capt Cooper and his two assistants
wanted to get pictures of the work of
destruction and went into a trench 900
yards from a church, knowing that the
Germans took special delight in demol-
ishng churches. The moving picture
machine was set up and aimed at the
church and Capt. Cooper began grinding
out film. Presently shell struck the
church steeple and took chunk out of
it and soon another shell hit the build
ing and blew the roof off. These views
were recorded on the film. Then a shell
struck not far from the trench and caved
it in burying the camera and the men,
but not deep enough to prevent them
from getting out.
As for himself Mr.. Sibley explained
that his work was different from that of
other correspondents, in that he was at
tached to a single division. He referred
to the 26th as the best in the American
Expeditionary forces and as being higher
in quality, character and performance
1t was cited ID times by the French, but
only three times by the American com
mand. The boys have come back changed
he said. They have deep and quiet
satisfaction in having served in the war
and are better citizens, but they do MOI
look down upon those who could not o.
for good reasons did not go.
Mr.. Sibley reviewed the story of how
he succeeded in becoming attached to tn,
Goth division. 1t required little bluff
fling in Washington to secure his pass
ports, and after reaching France he wa
kept in Paris five months before h,
finally was able to go with the division
Had he been refused the privilege of be
ing with the Americans he would hav,
gone with the French, as he had mad
arrangements to become attached to thu
French army and to be sent with sucl
French forces as fought near the 26tl
division so that he could do his worl
with the 26th although officially connect
ed with the French.
The stupidity of some of the censor
was emphasized, and numerous instance
were related to prove their density. On
instance was where the censor cut out
column and half statement by Gen
Cole, who had been relieved of his com
mand and renstated but allowed MI
Sibley to wire the reason for withhold
ing it, which was that the censor fel
that its publication would tend to lowe
the morale of the men, Mr.. Sibley sen
Gen Coles statement by mail to Mrs
Sibley, and by her it was turned over t.
the city editor of the Globe and pub
lished.
Mr.. Siblcy complimentcd Lieut.. Wash
burn as having done work that was no
always easy or safe, but which was vita
and always conscientiously and thor
oughly done. He spoke of Lieut.. Wash
burn as a good officer, good conrad
and good friend. He spoke also in com
plimentary terms of Lieut.. Washburn'
bride and of his home circle. Later h
entertained the company by telling
number of amusing incidents of the wal
DatI, t.,