The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-10-19
ByH. KNICKERBOCKER
Copyright. 1898. by international
News SerVice)

NSopyllknI' 1900 ny AHleA AasANN@A
News Service)
TORRIJOS, Spain Oct. 19
G.N.SD things impressed
me most about this town and one
was the church in TorrijoS and the
other was the dinner in the looted
house. The church is a fine little
one, or rather big one for so
small a town. 1t really ranks
almost as a cathedral and has at
least IL chapels with full sized
shrines. The main altar is a
wreck. The reds have treated
the figure of the Saviour in man.
ner not bearing a description. The
Virgin Mary has been decapitated
and her head stuck on a pole.
Most Churches Ruined
These were mere light jeSts
compared to the treatment &C.
corded most of the churches l
have seen in Spain during this
civil war. Most Of them have
been completely burned out, when
there was sufficient gasoline to
do the job, because it takes a lot
of fire to burn one of these old
stone churches. Others have been
Systematically destroyed by gun.
fire and explosions. This one has
only been wrecked and defiled.
CuriouSly enough, however, the
little padre of the Legion. Don
Juan Galan, came into this looted
church and within an hour dis.
covered the church treasure OF
gold and silver, buried by the
priests in a place he wouldn't
divulge.
Cafe Deserted
Down the deserted street we
walked past what had been a big
cafe, now entirely empty, yet from
its depths came the bizarre sound
of a mechanical piano. I walked
into the cafe through stacks OF
smashed chairs and tables and
found a Moorish soldier curiously
turning the crank of a banged up
hurdy-gurdy piano. When he saw
me he grinned and stopped grind
ing.
It got along towards evening
and we looked for quarters. There
was apparently not one house in
the place unruined. We picked
out one which had formerly been
the home of persons of some
wealth, found chairs strong enough
to hold us, and sat on the side
walk. We searched the house for
mattresses, found none but located
a box spring.
Then three legionnaires came
by and we offered them fat mon
etary reward if they would get us
mattresses. They went away,
stayed for half an hour, and came
back with one mattress. The very
last one in town. They had to
fight for this one. They refused
any reward, bowed and said they
were glad to be useful. This is typ
ical of the legion's behaviour TO-
ward us.
Fed by Legion
A fine hunger making aroma
came from the legion's pots. We
disconsolately Lit candles, dragged
out some canned stuff and Stun
bled up the stairs of the house to
what had been the dining room. 1t
still had table, foot-high in rub
bish, and a buffet where few
plates were still unbroken. Some
body had put an ak through the pi-
ano in a corner. We busted off the
plates, cleared off the table, prop
ped it up, set out our candles and
opened the cans. The goose liver
had melted. The Sardines were
bad. Our fresh onions, peppers
and cucumbers had gone soft and
old.
Just as we began to feel very
doWncast about that meal three
Legionnaires preceded by one
with candles appeared at the
door and put down smoking hot
platters of roast chicken and tur-
key and mutton, a big pot of Sa-
voury Spanish beans and several
bottles of red wine. Said their
leader:
"a present from the Legion to
the heroic periOdiStas-jOurna-
liStS-whO have elected to cast
their lot with the Legion of
Snain"