Newark post., 1920-06-23
FIRST PRISONER
TAKEN BY ARMY
TALKED TO DEATH
Writer in Legion Weekly
Gives Story on Authority
of First Division Officer

In the current issue of the
American Legion Weekly, an ex-
soldier tells the real story of the
capture Of the rst German prisoner
taken by the United States forces
in France. Until recently the War
Department withheld the names Of
those to whom belong the honor of
making this capture and the cir
cumstances attendant thereon. The
official announcement was recently
that two Polish American soldiers
were the fortunate heroes of this
episode. Their names are Adam
Blazikowski and John Cochanski,
of Company G, Eighteenth Infan-
try, First Division. The names
themselves, says the narrator,
Spoken in a strident voice, are at
least enough to stop a German
Army Corps, but the flow Of talk
caused by the bold action of these
two will not soon be forgotten in
Army circles.
The writer gives the story on the
authority of an officer high up in
the First Division who told the
following:
"When the First Division took
over trenches in this st. MihieD
sector, there was as you know a
shiver of expectancy that swept
over all of our forces then in
France from the fartherest out
post clear back to General Head
quarters. Had not the American
Army, long-heralded, at last taken
it's position alongside the French ?
For the first time in history SOL
diers of the new world were actu-
ally fighting nthe battlefields of
Europe.
Everything that happened on
our small front was therefore OF
the keenest interest to our higher
officers. If a German shell fell
into our sector even by mistake, il
was duly discussed with the great
est seriousness. If an airplane flew
over it was the subject of long
report when more than likely it was
French instead of Boche. Not only
was every move closely watched 10y
those higher up but also by thu
French, who felt a great moral re
sponsibility in thus exposing us tt
the enemy. Well, early one morn
ing came the news that prisone
had been captured. Breaking in OF
the slumbers Of those at Division
Headquarters, this report had al
the effects of bombshell. We.vieC
with each other to get the frs
glimpse of the enemy whom we say
in our mind s eye as huge, hair,
brute, fierce as Hindenburg him
self, the very picture of all that i
denoted by the word Hun.
"The general, not to be outdOn
by any of his interiors, issued a
order that the prisoner be brough
to division headquarters withou
delay so that he might question hir
personally. First, however, h
dashed off a telegram to Genera
Headquarters boasting of tn
achievement of his troops.
"More than an hour passed by
which SCENE ola month. Plans wer
- made for the prisoner reception
The great barbed wire cage bull
when we first moved into that SCI
tor, was prepared for the prisone,
An interrogating officer was az
pointed and he Immediately set t
work making a list of question
ranging from the purely person'
to those Of high information;
politics and strategy and touchin
everything under the sun exceT
religion. These were to be shot {
the prisoner in rapid fire order s
that he would surely trip himse
up and let out some valuable il
formation.
After what seemed an inte
minabIe wait, there was seen al
preaching down the road grou
of men in khaki. AS they DIRE
nearer we could make out about
dozen soldiers all with bayone
fixed. The reception committ'
lined up all assuming the air I
conquerors. At last HE had a
rived!
"After short parley the enen
for so this inoffensive and mi
cradle looking creature must
e. called-was ushered into the G
offices for the questioning orde
that awaited him. We all attendt
as psectators.
"His name was only learned a
ter repeated questions, for he W
so thoroughly nonplused that