Evening star., 1921-11-27
SPANISH OFFICERS
ABUSE AMERICANS
Men Fighting Against Moors
Are Treated Like Brutes,
London Reports Say.
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, November 2e.-Twenty
Americans who Joined the Spanish for
eign legion last summer still remain in
a Spanish camp near Ceuto, Morocco,
suffering from dysentery, scepuc sores
and vermin, according to stories told to-
day by two Of their erstwhile comrades,
members from the contingent of thir-
teen Americans and forty-three Brit
ishers, who reached London yesterday
after seven weeks Of campaigning
against the Moors on the Melilla front.
These stories Of their stranded bud
dies" were told by Charles w. Brown.
Of 1s2 st. Annes avenue. New York
city, and Charles Stephenson a native
Of New York whose home is now in
Toronto.
Among those left in the Spanish camp.
they said, are C. B. Lloyd Of 907 west
Washington street, Petersburg. Va. a
youngster under II years of age: Ben
jamin Margolis Of Boston. Mass, who
was wounded while on the Tetuan front,
and George Corbett, of $500 Bay Park
way, Brooklyn. N. Y, who paid his own
fare from America when he Joined the
Spanish troops. They are now all des-
titute, according to Brown and Steph-
enson and their sufferings are bound to
become worse with the rainy season in
Morocco just beginning.
Brown and Stephenson confirmed
earlier stories of hardships and cruel
treatment at the hands of Spanish
ofiicers They said they participated
in eleven battles between September
II and November 4. including those
of Mount Courougou. Nador, Zeluan
and Mount Arruit. Both, having
fought with the Canadian army dur
ing the world war, enlisted as British
subjects with forty-five others. and
sailed from Southampton, September
/, on the steamship Almirente Lobo
to- Ceute, whence they were sent to
Mellilla by way Of Malaga. Then,
after three days, during which time
they caught snatches of sleep along
the roadside. they said they were sent
to the front, having been given loaf
of bread and a tin of sardines. Their
personal property had been stolen.
OF their group they said four had
been killed and twenty-five wounded
Being unable to understand the Span
ish commands led them to much i'll
treatment, they said. On one occasion
they said they were beaten and SEN
fenced to the hard labor squad. At
another they were sent to the front
with their arms tied behind their
backs as punishment for trying to
obtain medicine at Melilla.
Americans Refuse to Kill Greek.
They told the story Of Greek SOL
der in the legion who was sentenced
to be executed. but they said the
Americans in the firing squad pur-
posely jammed their rifles.
Eventually the Americans were re-
leased, and they left the front Novem-
ber /, arriving back at Ceuta four
days later, where they said they were
well treated for the first time.
They described a dramatic scene at
ceuta, where Col. MILAN Astray. him
self wounded, harangued the Ameri-
cans and BrtttsherS, accusing them
of .cowardice and appealed to them to
stand by their chief.
..wrI you fight one more battle and
prove yours pluck?" they quoted the
colonel as asking. They consented to
this request, they said. but were asked
to sign document which would have
meant virtual re-enlistmment. and
consequently they refused further
service. ...-.r
Brown and Stephenson declared
there was still much bad feeling
against America among the Span
iards, who were unable to forget the
Spanish American war.
The Americans here are being cared
for, by the British Legion and the
Y. M, C. A.