Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-17
19SOLDIERSOF
FORTUNEHUNT
EMPLOYMENT
Veterans of u. S. War Forces
Return From Fight With
MOOrs.

NEW YORK, March 17.-Receiving
scarcely second glance from passersby,
nineteen soldiers of fortune" dis
charged members Of the Spanish Foreign
Legion, who saw active lighting against
the MoOrs in North Africa, today roamed
New York's streets looking for places to
eat, sleep and to work. They hail from
fourteen States Of the Union. Less than
six monthes ago most of the men left this
country, attracted to Spain by alluring
inducements held out by Spanish au-
thOrities.
Today on their return they could mus
ter less than s. among them. They OBJ
tained return passage, after appealing
to American consular agents in spain
to have them released from their con
tracts with the Spanish government.
Seventy or eighty more Americans, ac-
cording TO the nineteen VINO returned,
also members of the Foreign Legion, re
main in Spain, but are expected to re-
turn soon. Two viii never return. They
are Martin Cherry of Toledo, Ohio, and
Benny Herman of Philadelphia. Cherry
was killed in a skirmlsh. Herman was
killed by dunn dunn bullet fired by A
Moorish sniper. Both were buried in
North Africa.
ALL ARE
VETERANS.
Almost all of the nineteen who re
turned are veterans Of the United States
military or naval forces In the World
War The oldest, +. A. Gilbert, ~, OF
Detroit, enlisted IN the legion IN London,
after serving during the war in the Brit
tsh army. The youngest, Charles Ber-
nard, II, OF Richmond. Va, left the
States from New Orleans on sept. IA,
1921. In addition to being the youngest,
he was also the tallest-six feet two.
Running him a close second In age was
Guy ]. Wickersham, Of Pine Bluff,
Arkansas, who was only IS and the
smallest member of the party.
One member Of the group, John Hnrdy,
of Elyria, ohio, returned with Moorish
bullet in his left lung and another in his
neck. Others escaped injury.
This is the way Hardy tells Of the
treatment Of Americans in the Spanish
Legion.
we were offered transportation to
and from Spain, four ana half
pesetas a day in pay (about So cents)
and 700 pesetas as a bonus As matter
of fact. we received one peseta a day and
only half Of the promised bonus.
we never had outfits to brag about,
"
issued TO the regular Spanish soldier We
had wool suits. bought by the Queen
of Spain from England and given to US
as Christmas presents. We got heavy
shoes, spiral puttees and campaign hats,
but no socks. belts or underwear. We
once had overcoats, but they were taken
from US"
FOUGHT IN
AgnRnErn
Most OF the fighting the men engaged
in took place about seventy-two miles
southeast Of Tetuan. In Spanish Morocco.
The Moors are devils at fighting" the
men reported. They fight behind trees
and barbados and seldom show them
selves. One day we fought for six and
half hours and never saw a Moor. When
we captured the town we found nine
dead bodies"
Because the men had no passports they
had to go through the Formally Of Ellis
Island, just like immigrants, Tho proc
ess took thirty minutes The men de-
clared they still retain their American
citizenship because they did not swear
allegiance to Spain, but simply signed
contracts to fight.
The men who returned were, r. r. At
kinson, Houston, Texas; Raymond Ben
nett, Columbus, Miss; Charles Bernard,
Richmond, Va; f. A Gilbert Detroit,
Mich; John Hardy, Elyris, Ohio; II. w.
Johnson, Arcadia, Fla; A. c. Johnson,
Portland, Ore; Joe Jover, Norfolk Va. :;
p. ]. Herman, Camden, n. j.; Richard
Kirvin, Germantown, Philadelphia; Full
ton Mabrey, Little Rock, Ark; Charles
Meehan. New Orleans; r. p. Publ Chi
cago; NJ. A. Uhl, OIL City, Pa. Guy J.
Wickersham. Pine Bluff, Ark; c. L. Will
liams, Herndon. w. Va; Charles Phillips
Dover, n. j.; Jimmy Wilson Yonkers,
n. Y; Thomas Murphy, New York City.