The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-24

and had the district under guard these raiding parties sallied forth. An American officer in charge, a French detective, accompanied by his dog, Tive military police and two French police were, we firmly be- lieved, sufficient force to put the fear of the law into the heart of the criminal. no matter how desperate he might be. The French chief and myself established our headquarters in the center of the district, and like two gigantic spiders in as gigantic a web we awaited results.
 The orders were to bring to us all who were colored, regardless of nationality, and well did the men obey those orders. Any one who looked as if he might be classified as colored, no matter how light-colcred, was brought in. A THE ALGERIAN MURDERERS- GALLEY THREE
 Some were found hiding In closets, some under stairs, or In barrels and boxes, or hanging out of the windows on ropes. while Lthers were in secret recesses in the walls, or even up in chimneys-we got them all. They couldn't hide from those wonderful police dogs. These dogs entered into the hunt as if 1t were all a game. and no hiding place was too out-of- the-way for the dogs to nose the hidden out.
 "DistinEuished' Prisoner Taken.
 By 10 o'clock the prisoners began to arrive and what a motley crowd they were! Some in rags and tat ters, others in excellent clothes. Al gerian, French, English and Ameri cans-some, deserters from some of the Allied armies-some civilians, 1t made no difference: all were wheat for our mill that night. We had al ready received about sixty in all and were busily examining them, when the door opened and, looking up, I saw a very tall and dignified colored man enter accompanied by one of our officers.
 He was glowingly dressed In the extreme of fashion-frock coat, vel low brocaded waistcoat, silk shirt, black silk Ascot tie with a diamond In 1t the size of a large pea, striped trousers, tall silk hat, white gloves. white spats, patent shoes and a gold headed ebony cane-rare and strik ing combination. It didn't require much intelligence to discover that this dignified colored gentleman was through. Saluting, the officer re- ported:
 Major. he sure didn't want to come, but I reckon my old forty-five is some persuader! He is here! I told him that you said bring in all colored men and I just naturally obey orders, so I brought him in"
 1nterrupting the officer this spec tacular man broke in
 q wish to protest against this high handed outrage" he angrily cI,, o1oi ,.t tection from France I am immune from arrest! I was on my way to Paris to present my credentials to the French government; I am the accredited representative of the Li- berian government! I am the Li- berian minister to France"
 Though the room was as hot as sultry July night could make it suddenly grew cold and beads of cold precipitation stood out all over me. What had this overzealous of ficer done? What complications would follow? What would the out come be? All these questions flashed through my brain as I sat there face to face with this minister. In my dilemma I turned for assistance to ny French colleague; all I received was a broad grin. It was up to me to try and calm this enraged man. With profuse apologies he was off, fered a seat while 1 endeavored to explain both the mistake and the purpose of the raid. Stubbornly he refused to either listen to reason or accept the apology and still threat eped to demand satisfaction from all the world. l was in quandry knew that If he carried out his threats l was in for hot time There l sat and worried, wondering what tack to try next, when my friend, the French chief, believing that the joke on me had gone far enough, sud denly turned to the officer who had brought this man in and demanded:
 Captain, where did you find this man?"
 When the captain had explained and given the number of the house the chief turned to the indigant self styled minister.
 My friend" said the chief in that quiet voice he always used when angry, If l report to my govern ment in Paris the circumstances of this case, mentioning just where you were found, l do not believe that they will permit you to even present your passports or credentials"
 This phase of the matter quickly calmed the diplomat down and be- Tore long We persuaded him to for get all about it and watch the work ings of the raid. Later we sent him back to his hotel In the automobile. When he was gone I asked the chief if he really would have reported the circumstances to his government in Paris. He replied:
 NO, my friend, 1t was Cnly what you Americans call bluff. The elegant gentleman was not the Li- berian minister at all."
 In short time one of our patrols brought in several officers from a Brazilian battleship then in the river. They had tried to enter the district and were arrested. I had visions of international complica- tions: but these gentlemen treated 1t as good joke. They had been at tracted by the excitement and wanted to watch what was going on. After brief interview they were furnished with pass and left.
 Eighty Are Taken In Raid.
 By a. m.. the raid was over. Sum ming up the results, we found that our descent upon this locality was highly gratifying to us as we'll as to the French; our capture netted us a total of twenty Americans wanted for various offenses, mostly being absent without leave. The French secured over sixty, among them three who were wanted for murder Mutual congratulations .upon the success of the raid passed between us and we both felt that of course amongst the eighty prisoners we had the ones who had caused the reign of terror in the city.
 Exhausted by the arduous work, l returned to my room and went to bed had just fallen asleep when there came knock at the door, and to my dlsmay, there stood a French police man, who informed me that another Frenchman had been found murdered