Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-09-26


away a considerable supply of food In
the air chambers Of the motor hoat
OF course. mol only had talked of
elaborate plans for the supposed the
airical events that | was directing. but
/ also had the prisoners prepare a ioi
OF banatide stage props. more even
thnn could he used. These were made
IN nv the rest of the fellows who
we're mol in our plot. Most uf the nc.
tual material. needed for our escape
nhd subsequent raiding cruise had to
he fixed up stealthily by the boys who
we're 10 make the dash for freedom
with me.
One midnight a gnard happened to
notice three of my men busily Ill work
One was painting large German Tug
Another WAS making red pistol hol
ster. The third was sewing sail ouI
Of he'd sheets. We intended huistine
q sail on the mntor boat In order TO
conserve fuel If we Ind 10 cruise about
In tint little boat for long time. The
guard reported what he had seen to
The comnandunt.
"Oh. It's all right" said Colonel Tur
ner. Ills stuff for the theater."
But next dny he came und CUES
toned me:
Look here. count, can understand
how you might need a flag and pistol
holster for your show, but what about
the snl7"
"ph, that's the curtaln!n replied.
OF all the people met In New Zen
land. there was but one for whom
mad complete contempt He was a
fellow named Hansen German by
birth and naluralized New Zealand.
er. In spite of his naturalization, he
had been informed. He happened &c
notice that the motor expert. while
supposedly working on the engine OF
the Pearl. the colnnel's boat, had car.
rled something suspicious aboard
Anxious to curry favor with the com
mandant. he reported that we were
acting suspiciousy. The commandan
was contemptuous OF rat like that
in the first place, and then he was
utterly infatuated with our theater
lie said that whatever we were doing
could only be In preparation for oui
show. Nevertheless. lie tried TO inves
tigate hut found nothing TO confirm
what file. snnealer had told him
After weeks Of hard labor, we were
ready. Al night we cui the wires con
uectine the Isuna with the mainianf
| and sci barracks atire. That ere
ated the diversion we needed Every
body. guards and all, flocked TO pu
| the blaze ont | wns among the fore
most, and attracted all attention Il
myself | seemed TO have pnssinT
for fighting fires My boys were will
me. When the excitement was al III
highest we stole away singly nnt
boarded the motor houL Tile engin
/ purred. and we were away In the dark
ness.
We were safe from pursuit for
while. anyway. There WIS no othe
/ boat at the island. and Motuihi couI,
| NOT communicate with the mainland
/ II was only when the wires we're re
/ paired or when the mainland was dn
/ 10 get its next report thni the chas
after us could begin. When our e.
cape did become known on the main
land on that night of December Il
1917 every kind OF craft nvalnhl
went out 10 look for us Private owr
ers took up scouting for US as spor
Boats chased one another and shot d
one another and one steamer went 0
the rocks. Finally, a false rumo
spread that we had capsized an
drowned. and the weary pursners wer
gladfAp accept II as true and retur
home.
We Ind our difficulties In finding OF
way III the night through tile Haural
gulf on which Auckland lies. but at a
hour or SO past midnight we sa
sweeping shafts OF light The autho
tiles at Auckland were looking for |
with seurchlight. ridiculous pr
cedure. but one calculated to impre!
the population. We steered by II
searchlight beams now. and picked OF
way along easily enough
Of course, II would take a separa
volume TO record NIL of the details
our work OF preparation and our fin
escape. | am only giving you a d
scriptlon of the high spots. But,
the way. | almost forgot 10 tell y,
how we were dressed We all HI
New Xealand uniforms Mine was Il
most interesting Of the lot and pr
,itled material for Australian hume
lists and cartoonisis fur many week
Az the commander of Il name WI
even of twelve fool wundpn nie. wi
the unwnrlike nnme of Pearl | abs
lutels had 10 have a sword One
my boys. just IN hour before our )
cane. slipped into the. wardrobe Of I
prison camp communicate. MOI or
did he take Colonel Turner's be
dress uniform but tie also swiped I
sword and scnhbard
tTO BE CONTINUED
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