Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-26
A BIG VIC SAVES
LIFE OF RUSSIAN
Stuck. to Thafch in Spite OF Danger,
but Railroad Accident Care Him
Safety at Last
By HENRY NJ. NEELY

BY HENRY VI. NEEL1
A rhllndelphian who is engaged In recon
struCtion work abroad.
Copyright, 1919, BY Public Ledger Co.
TNIlE loss of a bushy black wig, which
l. for years covered his shiny bald head
saved the life of Russian naval cap
by Bolshevists.
The many attacks on the captain were
reviewed today by the Rev Newman
Hess, OF the First Presbyterian Church
OF Ashland. Pa, who had just reached
| here from Russia.
Mr.. Hess, who has been doing v NJ
! c. A. work in Russia since last April,
/ cited tile attempt on the life OF the
Russian as an illustration OF the condi-
tlons in that country.
After working for some time in Lon
don, Mr.. Hess went TO Murmansk. where
lie became associated with. Captain II. S.
Martin, who was in the American con-
sular service.
A Russian naval captain appealed TO
Captain Martin for protection and for
help in escaping from Murmansi TO
Petrograd The Russians superior Of
flcer, an admiral. had been murdered by
Bolshevsts on the streets in open day
light a short time before, and the Reds
were then on the trail of the captain to
deal with him in the same way.
For two weeks the Russian was Sc
creted in Martins private car while
Bolshevk sailors searched the city for
him. Finally they somehow learned that
tn i,;a
disappearance. ana they began a surveil-
lance of Martin and Hess and Red
Cross man who was with them that soon
became far from comfortable, and that
made them determined 10 start for
retrograd
But the Russian captain had 10 be
disguised and he was a man whose per-
sonal appearance made that almost in-
possible. lie had a tremendous thatch
of long, bushy black hair that seemed
10 be his particular pride, and his face
was adorned by a beard Of most Won
drous dimensions. The three Americans
finally succeeded in persuading him 10
lose his beard and Hess volunteered 10
be the barber. Even with smooth face,
however, the captains shaggy head OF
hair was complete giveaway, but no
amount Of persuasion could make him
consent 10 having the thick thatch cut,
and there was nothing for it but TO
start as they were and trust TO luck to
get through.
The Red Cross man lent the captain a
spare uniform and, if it had not been fol
this head of hair, he might we'll have
passed for an American.
No sooner had start been made
however. than their train was held uI
and thirty-five Bolshevist sailors at
tackled the private car. But Martin Hess
the Red Cross man, and the captain
suddenly bristled with small arscna
Of revolvers and the attacking party
was awed into retreat.
"Of course" said Hess. in telling me
OF It, I'VE Y men are not supposed tc
carry arms, but in Russia you cannot ad.
here to regulations, and | had three
automatics."
I The defeat OF this first army Of at
tackers did not end the BolsheNill de-
termination to get the captain Earl,
in the morning the train ran into q
loose rail and was wrecked The Reds
had wired to sympathizers ahead anc
the job had been neatly done. Hess tell:
this part of the story with great glee:
II picked myself out Of the debris
lie says. "to find little parties of Bol.
sheviki searching the ruins for the cap.
tain and flashing their lanterns into thu
faces Of all whom they found Near me
I saw Red Cross man rising from the
ground and thought it was my Ameri,
can friend, but when the searchers got
10 him and removed his hat in the Ian.
tern light l saw that it was not and was
puzzled because this mans head was
absolutely as bald as a billiard ball
But when the Bolsheviki had left hin
he turned to me with wink and whis
pered: Don't you know me, Mr.. Hess
am the captain. I have been totally
bald for years and have been very sen
stive about it, That is why l alway:
wore that bushy wig. And I am glat
of it now, for those fellows did not rec
ogniZe me without it.
From Petrograd, Hess went TO Mos
COW by way OF Vologda, and, in tn,
ancient capital, opened. up his worl
among the Russian prisoners of war re
turning from the German and Austrian
camps. Here he began to know tn,
Boshevilii better. He had been maxim,
thorough study of the Russian Ian
guage and was soon able to convers,
with sufficient fuency to enable him t,
get their viewpoints at first hand, ant
the result was that he began to fine
them a most likable, simple-mlnded bu
determined people.
But all through Russia he has foun,
a bitter hatred of everything that eve,
suggests a return to a monarchical form
of government. That is one of the rea
sons that the Red distrusts the Allies
He has been led to believe that Allie,
Intervention means another emperor.
Mr.. Hess leaves London tomorrow TO
France, and after some work there vii
probably get into southern Russia TO
further study of the situation from
: different angle.
, Where He Kicks
Wa ara NOT a music critic and wa ILL