White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-10-18

nre from my nOstrilS. The camp doc
tor was a German Pole. quite inteli.
gent, but of degenerated spirit, who
was used by the commandant to spy
on the prisoners. he made the friend.
Hest sort of overtures to me, and l.
having been told that he was an In.
former, made It seem as though | were
being completely taken in by his
smooth ways.
Nearly everybody In the camp sui.
tered severely from rheumatism.
was one of the few who had the good
luck to escape the malady. But pre-
tended to get It badly. so badly that
I was only able to walk with clutches.
The commander was pleased when he
found that was almost helpless For
how could a cripple attempt an es-
cape2 The doctor pretended to try
his best to cure my supposed ailment,
but gave me kind Of treatment that
was designed to make 1t worse. Ills
hoodwinking was complete when ]
asked him to help me to get word to
my people in Germany to send my FIVE
thousand pounds, and promised him
part of this in return for his aid. ]
kept the hypothetical five thousand
pounds dangling before his nose, and
his avarice blinded him SO much that
I was able to make ready tool OF
him.
My crew for the projected flight con.
sisted of nine men, seven OF whom
we're North German Lloyd merchant.
ship cadets captured by the British In
Samoa. When war broke out they hap
pened to be at the American South
Sea port Of Pagopago. Slipping away
in small boat they got to German
Samoa, only to find 1t In the hands
of the New Zealanders.
did my recruiting secretly. The
plan of escape was kept from the 9th.
er prisoners. Always to keep your sc.
cret among as few as possible Is
good rule even among prisoners. You
never know who is spy. The fel
lows chose were all lively lads, ready
for anything.
One day couple of the prisoners
said to me:
"Count, let's get up show for
Christmas, play"
Show, play, theater-that was an
idea for me.
"Certainly WILL" replied. II oft.
en- got up shows In the navy. We will
have theater here at Motuihi that
will beat the best in Berlin. But you
must leave everything to me. will
direct everything"
Cali right" they said.
got permission from the comman
dant to produce the show. In fact, he
waxed quite enthusiastic about 1t. Not
only would 1t give the prisoners some.
thing to do, but It would also provide
amusement for the jaiiers. Life on
the island was mighty boresome to all
of them.
In a little while the prison camp
was humming with preparations for
the grand spectacle was going to
stage. This was the cover under
which my fellows and | prepared all
of our equipment for our escape. II
deluded the guards. and also fooled
the prisoners whom we couldn't take
with us. When we wanted material.
always apparently innocent things. we
asked for 1t and said II was for the
show. When we built anything, It was
for the show.
We even built wireless set out OF
things supposed to be for our crosses
shauspielhaus. We made bombs out
Of tin cans and guncotton that had al
ready been procured The bombs had
fuses that could be lighted from
cigarette. One OF my men worked on
farm In tile interior of the island
and got lot of dynamite and blasting
powder used In blowing up stumps
We stole d couple of pistols from the
camp arsenal We made q fake con
trivance which looked like perfect
Lewis or Maxim machine gun. hut II
worked we'll enough and It looked even
more formidable. Cadet Won ZartOw
sky took odds and ends and made
sextant that afterward took US fifty
nautical miles Off our course. pretty
fair, considering the circumstances.
We had no great trouble in hiding
away q considerable supply Of food in