Evening star., 1923-10-24


The movement to GUST the seces-
sionists from the government build
ing. which began to take form Mon
day night, had gained strength by
Tuesday morning and before noon
some of the separatiSts who had been
in the structure were attacked by the
crowd.
Their comrades in the building
came to the rescue, seized number
of motor trucks and drove through
the streets, firing right and left into
the thronE.
Belgian Troops Intervene.
The situation became too much for
the local police and Belgian troops
streets and driving the separatists
back to their last remaining strong
hold.
After semblance of order had
been restored, Police Commissioner
Wilhelm Buhr went to the govern
republicans. commanded by Leo Deck
ers were fortified, and gave the in
vaders until 3 o'clock in the after
noon to evacuate the premises.
A few minutes later the corre-
spondent of the Associated Press.
F. #. Hollowell, ignorant of the ulti-
natum, knocked at the door of the
fortress. Deckers answered the
knock.
Come in" he said. The corre-
spondent did so and Immediately the
door was bolted and barricaded be-
hind him. AS there appeared to be
no other way out. the reporter at
tempted to telephone the British
consul for help, but the instrument
was dead.
Finally Slips Out.
He then tried to induce some green
uniformed ambulance men, who were
tending three wounded separatists,
to let him out. but to no avail.
the republicans upstairs. the corre-
spondent pulled away the obstruc-
tions from the door and left the
building. One minute later he heard
the barricade replaced.
Herr Buhr then reappeared and
offered the besieged one more chance
to surrender peacefully within fifteen
! minutes. promising that trucks would
be furnished to take the separatists
away: The commissioner said he
would personally accompany them
and guaranteed protection from the
mob.
AS the fifteen minutes licked of
Herr Buhr shouted to the separatists
peating his promises of safety.
Send us truck and two Belgian
soldiers and We'll CO." called down
one of the men. However, after a
hurried consultation between the
French, Belgian and British officials
A few moments later a separatist
leaned from a window and, speaking
in French, shouted:
Look TO Allied Aid.
I'VE are looking to France and
Belgium to help us out of this stu
alton. We suffered for France and
Belgium and we welcome anything
hnx 1n ht,f will hor t1
do with the Prussians.'
The time had now expired and
every one was waiting tensely. Final
y a stentorian voice shouted from
the window; NO negotiations"
Within the next few minutes
truckload of blue police arrived, and
clearing the approaches to the build
ing put a ladder up to the window.
The officers were beginning to ascend
when Herr Buhr called upon them to
halt. After short conversation
among the allied officers it was de-
cided not to allow the police to storm
the building, as this would only in
volve more bloodshed.
Send Defiant Word.
Soon after o'clock in the evening
the besieged separatists received word
that the republican movement had
spread to Coblenz.
The spirits of the besieged rose con-
siderably, and they sent word to the
German officials that if the latter
wanted the building they would have
to come and get it by force. Then
Deckers and his company locked up
for the night.
During the negotiations between the
German officials and Deckers repub-
licans and loyalists became almost
chummy, and the republicans were
permitted to pose outside for pho
toeraphers.
Deckers appeared at the front door
with Fraulein Emily Walters. also a
separatist. These two, with twenty
eight men, posed for the movies for a
quarter of an hour.
Asks About His Wife.
Deckers. who had been among the
beseiged since late Monday, was eager
to know what had become of his wife
He asked several of his fellow citizens
about her, but his questions went un-
answered.
1--WE are looking for reinforcements
from Crefeld," said Deckers, ct can't
understand why they are not here
AS soon as they arrive we will swing
quickly into full power again."
Deckers, Fraulein Walters and the
others all waved their hands and
cheered for the movies. They then
retired. while the police looked on
from a distance.
A gray-haired man, somewhat
stockily built and wearing a suit
Deckers apparently enjoyed the ex-
perience with the photographers,
but was visibly nervous, as were the
police and other spectators They
all jumped whenever motor cycle
or an automobile missed fire in a
nearby street.
Get Two Wounded Men.
Fraulein Walters said there were
two other women among the leaders
of the new republic, and that the
husband of one of them had been
badly wounded. When the officials
heard there were two wounded men
inside the building the British consul
acted as spokesman, and soon after
ward city ambulance arrived. The
separatists brought out the men,
who had been wounded in Monday
nights shooting, during which it
was first reported from five to eight
persons had been killed and thirty
or more wounded.
The wounded separatistS were re-
moved by the ambulance. Both the
men had been shot in the head,
and Deckers said he thought the
wounds of one of them were likely
to prove fatal.
The government building remained
unlighted last night, as the city had
cut off the electricity and also the
water, in the hope Of starving out
the possessorS of the building.
HOLD MUELHEIM-oN-RHINE.