In the Claws of the German Eagle

On A Pri

into the left wing for the night

corner, when an officer cri

the left wing, sir

ficer in exasperation. "Can't you tell the difference betw

y clanged with orders and counter orders. After much confusion the general mix-

the soldiers. The revolt of my stomach must have communicated itself to my soul. I determined for aggressive action on my own behalf. I resolved to stand unprotesting no longer while a solid case against me was being constructed. Not witho

ges and up three flights of stairs. Here we were divided into two gangs, my gang being led off into a room already nearly filled. We were told that it was our temporary abode, and we were to make the best of it. It was an administrative office of the Belgian Government now turned into a prison. Th

rounding up their victims from all over the country and corralling them here until the place was filled to overflowing. Our official in charge was puffed up with pride in the prosperity of his institution, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, petulantly belectured us on ad

ets from the pile in the corner. The new arrivals and the old inmates maneuvered for the softest spots on the floor, which was soon

his," said Obels, the reporter, enthusiastically. This elation made h

kept exclaiming. "Won't this op

d led him to this Bonanza would now deny him the

returned, the spring out of his step and his zest for stories quite go

of the doings of his charges or not I do not know, but in the midst of my writing he glided into the room, and, pouncing upon my manuscript, gathered it to himself, saying, "I'll take these." My Belgian friend protested that a superior officer had given me permission to do this. Javert handed back the paper, smiled, and di

Whit

tates Am

sse

R S

in my behalf. I am thirty years of age, resident of East Boston, Massachusetts, for six years. I am a graduate of Ma

ities this morning. I do not know exactly what the charge against me is. I am accused of offering money for information relative to the movement of the German troops. I think that the man who worked up the case against me is a Dutchman with whom I spoke upon a car. He volunteered the information that he had been everywhere by automobile; and I asked him if he was the one who carried passengers out of Brussels by way of Lieg

vernor Walsh, of

Charles Fleischer

e of New

n the German Staff I was going t

W. Coleman, of the

nt of the Pilgrim Am

ng Clubs

deacon and an anarchist, I knew that he w

illiam W. Mills, Esqu

Marietta, Ohio, Treasur

of the National Cou

f America,

oney for this now, I feel certain Mr. Fletcher, who is associated with Mr. Lane, of th

urs, ALBERT

document was prepared quite as much for German eyes as for the Ambassador's, and nothing gives a man standing and respect in the Teutonic mind as much as a name fearfully and wonderfully adorned. I resolved that my importance was not to suffer from lack of glory in my friends. I bestowed more honorary degrees on them than the average small college does in ten commencements. So lavish was I that my friends hardly recognize their own titular selves. An officer designated the guard who would

tainly they were not obtrusive in Belgium. In extenuation it may be said that the Brussels postmen had struck about this time

rtain that no American gang would let slip this opportunity for the heaving of a brick. Were Brussels boys made of flabbier stuff? Not if Belgian sons were of the same stripe as Belgian fathers. The fact then that none of these German Scouts were massacred,

wn war according to their own code. In this code reporte

was, in my nervous tension I probably would have vented my sense of outraged justice by assaulting one of the officers myself. I wouldn't have had a long time then to speculate upon the immortality of the soul. I would have possessed first-hand information. One can understand why, for their own protection, the Germans imposed their iron laws upon the Belgians with thei

became less constant; less and less frequently the hoarse commands of the officers, mingled with the rumbling of the automobiles, came up from the courtyard below. At midnight the only sounds were the g

their long bayonets glistening in the electric light that blazed down upon us. The peasants had characteristically closed the windows to keep out the baneful night air. In the main room a drop-light with shade flung its radiance on a table and lit up the anxious faces of the

walked in and out of Liege when the Germans were painting the skies red with the burning towns. My ribs were massaged all the way by ends of revolvers, whose owners demanded me to give forthwith my re

He feels that a military court reverses ordinary procedure, holding that it is better for nine innocent to suffer than for one guilty one to escape. He knows that his fate is in the hands of a tribunal from whose arbitrary d

guns means that the Germans, beaten, are being pressed back into Brussels by the Allies. They may let us go. No, the Germans, maddened by defeat, might order us all to be shot," was one idea. "How does it feel to be blindfolded and stood up against

bserving that the two soldiers lying beside me on the floor were fast asleep and the guards at the outer door were nodding. I stepped over their sleeping forms

story. It does, indeed. A bayonet looks far different from what it did on dress parade. Meet one in war, and its true significance first dawns upon you. It is not simply a decoration at the end of a ri

l means, rather than by physical; and as the first rays of light stole

of the American, Albert B. Wi

e defense of myself yesterday; but when I was accused of offering much money for information relative to the movements of German troops, the accusation

offer "much money," because all I had was that which, as Mr

t be offering money in a voice loud enough to be heard

own standing will be vouched for by His Excellency the Governor of Massachusetts, the President of the Pilgrim

tter absurdity of any such

ny conversation with my accuser was either in German or English. You know my German linguistic ability and the error th

facts into account before

tfully

R. WI

ard below heralded the beginning of the day's acti