Evening star., 1944-08-27
shed over the tracks, showering
them with glass splinters, and each
time bullet hit they ducked.

them with glass splinters, and each
time bullet hit they ducked.
Guarded by Lone Poilu.
They were guarded by a lone
French poilu, while Capt. John E.
Thomas of Minneapolis, Mimi, the
corps commanders aide, stood guard
at the door Of baggage-conference
room.
The German signals colonel who
was talking with high officers and
Capt. Howard was a wiry, thin
faced, gray-haired little man who
showed a foundness for American
cigarettes. He appeared greatly re-
lieved that the war was over for
him.
The colonel and other members Of
Won Choltitz's staff were billeted at
the oxford and Cambridge Hotel
behind the Meurice Hotel. He said
that during the morning French
tank rolled up in front Of the Ok
ford and Cambridge Hotel and fired
one shot which hit parked auto
mobile, blowing 1t against the hotel
front.
Fire Spreads to Hotel.
The shot ignited gasoline in the
automobile tank and the fire spread
over the hotel lobby. He said he
and other officers came running
down the stairs with drawn pistols
ready to fight it out, but after they
saw what had happened they real
lied the Jig was up.
And they ran out like rats and
surrendered" added the French
guard.
The German signals colonel said
that all SIS troops left IA days ago
and that the only NaN forces left
were members Of the regular Paris
garrison. Whether they were SIS or
not. they fought like hellions when
cornered in Luxembourg Gardens
even after the surrender negotia-
tions were in progress.
Fire Still Going On.
Two hours after Won Choltitz's
cease-fire order went out there was
machine cunning by Germans from
rooftops about the city.
AS I write this there are bursts
from machine guns and machine pis-
tolls outside my hotel on Boulevard
st. Michel leading down to Notre
Dame Cathedral.
Notre Dame Cathedral itself is
not damaged.
If there is any starvation in Paris
1t didn't show up today among the
hundreds Of thousands who well
coined their liberators. In contrast
to Londoners, who show the pinch
Of nearly five years of short rations,
the Parisians look we'll fed.
Subways Stopped : Months Ago.
Paris subways stopped running
two months ago because OF the fuel
shortage and electric current has
been on only IS minutes at night
after 10 o'clock. The waterworks
and sanitary facilities are function
ing normally. however.
And tonight, while bullets still
were whining around Paris, Paris
ians were singing in the street.
Great pillars Of black smoke rose
over Versailles, where the west wing
of Versailles Palace still was burn
ing. Dull red glows ringed the city
from burning military forts fired
by the Germans when they saw
their occupation of more than four
wears was nearing an end.
For the Americans and the
French, capture of Won Cholitz was
a particularly rich haul. He COM
manded the 84th German Corps
which Allied troops have battled all
the way from Cherbourg to Paris
He took command OF the Paris gar
rison IA days ago.
He. denied there had been any
kind OF armistice with French re-
sistance forces before LIE Clerc's
entry. He said there had been an
arrangement" whereby the Ger
mans would be permitted to move
troops into and out of the city
without being shot at in return for
permission for the French to trans
port food into the city.
Chunks of the Senate building
were ripped out and sent flying by
shells from French tanks when
Allied forces stormed into Paris.
French tankmen riding American
ss,as,,.s a., ......