The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-01

A woman nursing a child in her arms told Reynolds Packard, United Press correspondent who accom- panied me:
 Here is where we lived. Seventy days. Crowded in this cell because it was bomb proof. We didn't have enough water to wash with. We couldn't wash our clothes, Some times I went without my water SC the baby's face could be washed"
 The women were all near to tears and one of them would burst out crying occasionally for no reason.
 One of the women who started crying while Packard talked to her said: 0&
 Excuse me. We could not cry be- fore"
 All the men spoke of the heroism of the women.
 It was difficult for some time tc make ones way about in the eel lars, they were so dark despite the candle light. Some bedding and some mattresses were strewn about but for the most there were only piles of burlap sacking and old un- forms from the museum which were used as mattresses. There were broken boxes and tin bathtubs, and desks from the cadet school had been used for chairs.
 How did you pass the timer" one woman was asked.
 T don't know" she answered. "It never seemed to pass. It seems ages. Thank God, the shooting stopped this (Tuesday) morning anc we were able to leave.
 we used to talk and tell tht children stories. We worried about our husbands and sons."
 T used to dream of bath tut full of hot soapy water" said an. other woman. ....,.. ....
 There was a daily newspaper The Alcazar. It contained reports of the fighting picked up from ths Lisbon radio, orders issued by the garrison command, birth notices, the death of two old women from ill., neSSeS, an editorial column dealing with local as well as national prob. lems.
 We never missed a deadline ir 68 editions" a cadet member of tht staff said. We got started on ths third day. We might have had . lot of good stories from the Madrid radio but we didn't use any govern. ment copy. We listened in for mili. tary purposes"
 There was an editor, two report CTS who covered" the radio, a loca leg man to get the news from the cellars. and an editorial writer.
 While we were in the Alcazal Gen. Francisco Franco, commando in chief, arrived and sent the gar. rison into tears again by his praise I:e told them the defenders collec. lively would be decorated with thu San Fernando cross, the highes award for extraordinary heroism Col. Jose MaScada, the commando, of the garrison, he said, would b. decorated individually with tn, cross. ....
 Franco's speech was brief.
 You have written one of tn, most glorious pages in our history he said. "In this edifice built a the height of the Spanish empire d was rebuilt by Ferdinand and Isa' bella) you have laid the foundations of new Spanish empire"
 There was a religious ceremon! in the Alcazar, prayers of thanks. giving. The garrison, townspeoplt and some soldiers attended-but no the moslemS from Africa who lee the attack on Toledo.
 Bands played outside while those of the garrisons went out. There were cheers, and occasionally z shock when some member of tn. garrison, inquiring the fate of 2 near relative, learned of @ tragedy
 I was in the first group of core. spondents to enter Toledo at noor yesterday, Al hours after the army captain reached the garrison.
 (There were no newspaper mer in Toledo Sunday or Monday be. cause those with the loyalists coult not enter as battle was in prog. ress in the streets.-Sd0.
 I have been a newspaper mar for 24 years and have covered si, wars but I never saw sights St sickening.
 Several fires were burning still including that in St. Juan hoSpita in the suburbs, near the Madrid road, where legionnaires captured 7l prisoners yesterday morning.
 One of the two canonS of thu cathedral told me then the leftist! slaughtered hundreds of people dur ing the siege. \
 Of a total Of 30 priests in tht city, he said, only half 8 dozen es' capped death.
 Blood splas..:ed the streets. I saV 19 great splac.les of clotted blood against a wall in the Gale Sixtt Ramon. I saw my first crumplet corpse at the gate as we entered Most corpSes had been removed.