Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-10-03

we were Jdlieu at MOUNT luen, the
local prison OF Auckland, us punish
ment for our flight For calabuose
1t was not bad. After twenty-one days
there, we were distributed among vari
Gus prison camps kircleiss and !
went to River island near Lyttelton on
the south island of New Zealand
Even the yard of our prison In For.
Jervois was verItahe cage II was
screened not only around but also
across the top with lines of barhed
wire The commander of the camp.
Major feeming of Tasmania. was one
Of the hest fellows have ever met
He. too, felt himself a prisoner here on
this lonely Island and soon became
our third mln at cards. which we
played to while away the hours during
the long evenings
A drawbridge that had been smashed
by hurricane was being repaired
and we prisoners had access TO the
waterslde for d willie. In the yard
stood row OF empty tar barrels One
OF the barrels fell over and hap
pened to notice that Il was picked up
by small coastwise schooner that
often lay at dock farther down the
shore. threw In another barrel II
foated Tile boat picked II up. My
plan was mude. could arrange one
of these barrels so that | could float
out In It. | would pick The time when
the little schooner was at shore. Then
! would get into the barrel ind roll
myself off the dock. The boat would
pick the barrel up. 1t might seem n
bit heavy, but they would think ii had
tar In 1t. The barrel once aboard. It's
lid would open and man armed with
knife would step out. like n jack.in
the-box. Thus | would hive bout.
| would pick up Kircheiss. who would
he waiting. and we would 20 sailing
and perhaps get to some neutral Is
land.
Major Leeming had been SO kind to
me that did nM want to emhurrass
him by escaping under his command
lie, expecting I'm addition to Ills fam.
lily, was to take furough. would
do my jnilbreaking while he was
away. But soon after Major Leeming
went on his furlougt. kIrcheiss and
were ordered back 10 the prison camp
at MotuihI OF course, there was
new commandment of MntuihI now, a
| Major Sclloheld Most of The prisoners
there received us With enthusiasm
Even the treacherous Polish doctor
| brought me bottle of champagne
| hoping that | would not mention our
| former little business transaction In
which he wns to get percentage OF
that so5.OOO
Some of our own countrymen vino
had spent SO many hours learning
pnrts for that theatrical show seemed
to hold II against us. But. after all
| had moi treated them 10 Il far better
melodrama from the life of a sailori
Presently, several fellows came TO
me and asked If did not think some
| thing could he undertaken They had
already cuntrived to get a few pistols
/ and build folding canvas boat We
could nol very we'll 60 10 sen In thai
| But If we could contrlve to station
ourselves at some other part of the
island. we could wait until sailing
ship came along. put out In our flimsy
little craft, and attack her. We con
suited with the former governor Of
Germun Samoa, Doctor Schultz. Ewarfh
by nilme, who was a prisoner al
Motuihi. He with his personal serv,
ant, giant fellow, formerly German
buker, was allowed 10 wander where
he pleased on the island II was his
man who biz upon the idea of hiding
In the interior of the island by build
Ing cave In the side of u dry river
bed that he had discovered, the cuve
to be so disguised that searchers would
not notice IT, We could easily get out
Of the camp and into the other parts
OF the Island. and, at the same time.
give the impression that we had es
capped over a cliff TO the shore and
been picked up by boat. We could
keep to our retreat unIil the search
had died down. and then we could
watch for Il passing sailship and ar
tack IL. The plan seemed an excel
lent one.
We gathered more weapons, while
Doctor Schultz. Ewarth and his man.
on their long rarhles, began the con
struction Of the cave, Things pro
crossed rapidly. Then the Armlstice
came. II II had been delayed week.
there would have been another escape
ut Mofnihi