The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06
FICTION
The Greatest Secret Service Story of the War


and the Major drew lots to see who would
undertake this dangerous trip. The Major
drew the shorter, and, with a handshake
and whispered Good luck" he stepped
out of the shell hole and, creeping and
crawling along, finally came to an Ameri-
can listening post.
Creeping up, he whispered: "Do not
shoot! l am an American officer who has
been a prisoner in Germanyv'-and he
crawled over the top and into the trench.
He was Immediately seized and, since he
was in civilian clothes, the men were for
shooting him as a spy, then and there.
Finally convincing them that they would
ruin everything if they did not take him to
their commanding officer. they tied his
hands behind his back and took him to the
Colonel in command Of that section. Here
he told part Of his story, and arranged once
more to return to the shell hole and bring
in the rest
The return trip WIS even more dangerous,
for the Germans had searching parties out
in No Mans Land hunting for them. He
finally succeeded, however, in finding the
others, and before the sun rose in the east
all four were on their way to the General
Headquarters.
At the Headquarters, Anderson and Ell
wod were hailed with shouts of joy, for
they had been given up as dead. After the
story was told and after the Colonies of
the German Army had been promised that
Whatever arrangements or promises the Ma
jor had made would be carried out, they
turned over their plans and information. To
enable Marshal Foch to quickly utilize their
information, the German officers were sent
to him under escort
Within two months the entire German
Army was in full retreat. Major Anderson
and Captain Elwood, however, were de-
prived of any part of the final victory. for
while on the train, en- route to the leave
area to rest, both were taken ill with pneu-
monia, brought on by the nervous strain
and exposure. When that memorable dav
came, the day the armistice was signed.
these two brave Americans were once more
fighting for their lives and once again. in
their delirium, living over their recent ex-
periences.
With the ultimate disposition of the two
German Colonies or the real names of those
who accomplished seemingly impossible
task, the public cannot be permitted to
concern ITSELF
The world knows the story of Prince
Joachims suicide. The American officers
who. participated in this great feat will al
ways believe that the Prince killed himself
because he realized that he was the means
by which the Americans were successful in
reaching officers of the German HIGH Com
mand and in inducing them to turn traitor.
helping thus materially to conquer Ger
many.
From Dispatch in the New York Times.
July %, 1919:
German Soldiers Who Aided Allies Here
For Safety
Washington, July 21.-Two German
prisoners" who were brought to New York
on the transport Agamemnon for protection
by the United States government in return
for extremely valuable military information
which they furnished to the American Ex-
peditionary Forces in France, will probably
be brought to Washington tomorrow and
turned over to General Marlborough
Churchill, Director of Military Intelligence.
All that could be learned tonight was
that the two men had, for certain induce
ments, given the American military intelli-
gence officers in France information of
very great value regarding the plans of the
German General Staff, probable lines of
retreat, where the Germans would make
stands and other information of high strate-
gic value, which was of great service in that
it enabled General Pershing in his great
off in, fho