Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-01-09
Two Americans
Freed by Reds
Say Sd Is Held
Noble and Murchuk
Sow Sick Soldier
In Siberion Comp
BY the A..oeiu,sd Prsss

BERLIN. Jan. 8.--Two AYneri.
cans returned to the free West
from q Soviet forced labor camp
tonight and reported seeing .
third American at the camp
early last year. One OF the two
men freed declared fervently:
Il have a lot to tell" i
Finally released by Soviet au-
thorities after repeated United
States demands were John II.
Noble. 81. Of Detroit. and Pvt.
William Marchuk. SO. Of Norris
town. Pa. They were handed
over to United States authorities
at the Soviet command head
quarters in East. Berlin.
United States officials quoted
Mr.. Noble as saying he had seen
another American. Pvt. William
Verdine Of Starks. La. at the
prison camp last year. He said
Pvt. Verdine appeared to be III.
The State Department took
Mr.. Noble in tow, the Army took
Pvt. Marchuk into custody and
the soldier still was in trouble
despite his liberation from So-
Wet captivity. He faces pos.
sible court martial as deserter.
Has Story to Tell.
It was Mr.. Noble who told
American authorities u have
a lot to tell" He indicated he
would be glad to tell his story TO
reporters later.
Mr.. Noble was In Russian
hands since 1915. Pvt. Marehuk
since he apparently crossed the
frontier in Berlin In February.
l949. United States officials
heard they were in the notorious
Siberian Vorkuta labor camp
more than q year ago from Pvt.
Homer Cox who was released
after four years of captivity. Pvt.
Cox died last summer In the
United States.
The State Department In
Washington said 1t was Tex.
tremely pleased" to hear Of the
release Of the men.
In Detroit. Mr.. Mobiles 81
year-old father. Charles A. Noble.
said: ITS too wonderful y
realize"
The elder Noble had been ar
rested with his son by the Rus
SLAMS in Dresden. Germany. In
1915. The father was released
in 1852.
CTS Family Joyous.
| Pvt. Marchuk's father In Nor
ristown had suffered d stroke
recently, and the soldiers mother
asked a sister. Mrs. Elmer Glenn.
son, to do the talking for the
family. Mrs. Clemson expressed
the family's Joy at the news Of
Pvt. Marchuk's release and said
she believed her brother was
picked up by the Russians while
on some kind OF intelligence
assignment.
"I.m positive william Is no de-
serter." she said. He's Just not
that kind of fellow. ! know
darn well he never went into the
Soviet Zone without Just cause"
Pvt. Cox and several German
and Australian repatriates also
named Pvt. William verdine. Of
Starks. La, as a third American
inmate Of the work camp. The
Russians denied knowledge OF
verdine but American authori-
ties believe ne Is suffering from
a serious case Of tuberculosis and
will not be released Until he 10
In better shape.
Both In Good Shape.
Mr.. Noble and Pvt. Marchuk
were reported by Army and State
Department officials as being In
apparently very good shape"
despite their long ordeal. Mr..
Noble. though slightly built, had
"a spring in his stride and cilatted
1 gaily with United States Consul
| Norman K. Pratt en- route from
Russian headquarters TO West
Berlin.
! Pvt. Marchuk, wearing q NOUS
tache. was taciturn. He asked
only for an American cigarette
and commented IL was his first
in six years. As q soldier missing
from his unit he was taken into
military custody. Mr.. Noble was
mol in precise custody but both
men will be given physical Tesla
fSee pRIS(1NERa Para A.1f