Evening star., 1941-08-08
BY JAY ALLEN,
Correspondent of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.

Correspondent of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.
NEW YORK, Aug. 8.-No one fall
ing into the hands of the Nazis for
the first time could fail to experi-
ence a certain sense of distress.
This correspondent confesses to
having been acutely unhappy dur
ing his first 80 hours in their
clutches. The reasons disappeared
as the result of three very lucky
breaks, for which l claim no credit.
And if the Gestapo should ever
read this, they should not feel too
badly.
My first afternoon was awful. The
French gendarmes in Monceau-les-
Mines, with whom the Germans had
checked us for the night, invited us
to sit with them in the police sta
ton because their own lookup con-
sisted of four primitive coolers down
in the cellar where there was
neither light nor air. We wouldn't
have to go down until midnight.
Wanting to be alone to take stock
of my situa ton, asked if 1 couldn't
nap for while in one of the coolers.
They agreed, but said they would
have to lock the door, as the cellar
opened directly on the street. But
they promised to come down and let
me out whenever I gave the signal
by pounding on the wall.
Couldn't Arouse Guards.
In my first five minutes I discov-
cred that the straw pallet was in
habited, and very shortly so was L.
I tried standing up but the ceiling
was too low. Then I signaled for
reprieve, but my gendarmes did not
hear me, being deeply involved. I
learned later, in conversation with
the two ladies Of our group. Not
until 10 o'clock at night did they
remember my existence.
My hours in the cooler in Mon
ceau I will remember was caught.
The Germans hadn't discovered yet
what they had. 1 knew that the
envelopes containing our effects
would not be examined until We got
to Chalon-Sur-Saone the next day.
There they would find a notebook
with material most unf1attering to
them, an address book into which I
had written the initials and the ad-
dresses of number of friends in
the occupied zone and a five-page
typewriter report on things in gen.
eral which a French friend had
handed me at the station. I had not
read this report; only later was to
find. out how bad it was.
Hollander Proposed Flight.
The Germans came for us next
morning at in an army truck. We
we're 16. They were two, the driver
and a soldier The envelopes with
our effects were with us in an open
box. A Hollander squeezed in next
to me suggested that he "jostle" the
soldier, grab our envelopes and run
for it in open country before reach
ing Chalon. Later I learned he had
been caught with military informa-
ton sewn in his necktie. He was
sent to a fortress in Germany.
.Chalon Prison, built in the early
10th century for 80 men, now houses
close to 200 on the German side and
almost as many on the French,
what with the numerous arrests, on
administrative order" from Vichy,
of political nonconformists.
Questioned BY Adjutant.
After about an hour I was called
into the office, where sat bald
headed adjutant with cheerful fat
face, fanked by an Alsatian inter-
prefer, a sergeant and corporal.
In this Office a good 80 per cent of
all the cases brought in are settled,
the culprits given their small SEN
tences or fined without any further
ado.
told my story. I had gone from
Paris to Montchanin to meet a
friend coming up from Vichy by
car with German border pass. To-
gether we were to drive along the
German side of the demarcation
line, he to take pictures and I to
do a story. No, had not intended
to cross. I thought this quite a
plausible story and one that would
convey the impression that I was
stationed in the occupied zone.
The interpreter translated my
statement to the adjutant and added
his own. "Of course he's lying, OF