Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, September 13, 1918, Page 8

DESCRIBES BRUTAL GERMAN PRISONS French Soldier Tells How Huns Fed Prisoners Food Even Dogs Refused. TREATEDWORSE THANBEASTS Rendered Half Insane by Hunger Men Fight Among Themselves for Scraps of Food—Sawdust 5 and Straw in Bread. Bangor, Me—In contrast with the anxlety or willingness of the German|to telling. what kind of & brat I'm soldier to fall captive to the allies, so often manifested, is the declaration of Gaston Jullan Defoirdt of Woonsocket, R. L, now visiting relatives here, that he would much rather die fighting on the front line than to go through such pains and miseries as he endured in two years spent in a German prison camp. Defolrdt, who is twenty-four and well educated, was visiting in France when the war came. and very soon he was In the ranks. On the sec- ond day of his service at the front he was wounded In the left ear by a frag- ment of shrapnel and three days later he was taken prisoner. 2R With many other prisoners he “was sent to the rear, and there they were loaded like so many cattle fnto freight cars and-started on a seven days’ ride to the prison camp at Altengrabow. “At every way station where the train stopped,” says Defoirdt, “the German people gathered round and threw stones and spat -in our faces. ‘We were subjected to all sorts of in- sults. Many of us were wounded, yet we got no attention whatever, being given scarcely food enough to keep us zlive and made to sleep on the floors of the dirty freight cars. ; “When finally we found ourselyes in the German prison camp -conditions were worse rather than better. There were about 25,000 men at Altengrabow, all pationalities mingled, We were guarded by flerman soldlers who had been Incapacitated for service at the front and who on account of their wounds were revengeful toward us. ¢ Dogs Refused Prison Fare. ¢ ‘Tt would be difficult to plcture in words the awful conditions prevailing in that camp. Our diet consisted for the most part of hot water and de cayed vegetables—they called it soup. Sometimes we were given herbs mixed with grass to eat. Under such treat: ment the strongest men soon fell sick and were scarcely able to move about, The smell of this soup often was s¢ nauseating that men held thelr noses while eating it. Dogs would take on¢ sniff at it and refuse to eat. i At times the men became so des perately hungry that they caught and nte rats and even a dog. Occasionally we were given herring broth, made by bolling whole, uncleaned herrings int¢ a thin liquid, the hemds. bones and scales of the fishes being served with the rest. One of the prisocers was op erated on for appendicitis after his transfer and four herring heads were¢ found lodged in his intestines. “I have seen prisoners, rendered hall Insane by hunger, fighting among them: selves for bits of food. If one's ra tions were stolen or taken from him’by force and he complained to the guard the answer gvould be: ‘Why, are you not all friends—allies? Surely ther¢ ean be nothing to complaln of.” When the neutral commisslon would visit the eamps the prisoners would be given & short cut of frankfurter sausage -and a lump of bread, so that’ it might ap pear that they were fairly well fed. Sawdust Bread. “This bread contained .all sorts of stuff, such as potato peelings, straw and sawdust. All prisoners were made to sign papers indicating their willing ness to work, If they refused to sign they were severely punished. The men supposed that they were to engage fu farm work, but were sent to coal mines, salt mines and munitions fac tories. I refused to work in a munt tions factory and was tied to a post for three hours. One group of pris oners who persistently refused to work were told that they would be shot and were placed under a special guard. At the end of 11 days, during which they momentarily expected ta be executed, they were told that their lives would be spared. “While in prison I slept on the same cot for 18 months and in all that time the straw was not changed. When 1 Ieft the straw was as fine as dust and alive with vermin. After 18 months at Altengrabow I was transferred to Mersburg. After an exchange of pris- oners had been effected I was taken to ©onstance, where I was provided with a new suit of clothes and was well fed and kindly treated for eight days be- fore being turned over to the allies. 1 suppose this was done in the hope that in my new comfort and the joy at be- ing released I might forget the past. “In Switzerland I was taken In charge by the Red Cross and kept in the hospital there for ¢ months. Had the Germans given me proper treat- ment for my wound I-would have re- covered in a few weeks; as it was, after years of neglect, dirt, semistar- vation and hard work, I was in such eondition when released that for a time my life, was despaired of. Even now, after the best efforts of the Red Cross physicians and nurses, the left slde of my face Is partially paralyzed HOME SNAPSHOTS 3 PLEASE THE BOYS (Continued from Page 1) kind of military, doesn’t it? I kind of like it, don’t you? - She’s got good taste, that girl of mine, hasn’t she?” Evidently she had, and so had he. You admired his choice. “This picture’s.of my mother,” he continued, “and it's a good one. I wanteéd -a snapshot of mother. She looks pretty well. I was afraid she was worrying too much. I feel a lot better now, I know, she’s telling the truth when she said she was well, Photos are great, aren’t they? There is no argument the ques- tion. ) Sister ‘and Baby Too. “This last one’s my sister, and her baby. She got married just before I left. T've been over her for two serv- ice stripes now. I's tickled. to get this photo. It’s the only way I have being uncle to, you see. Say, what paper are you correspondent for? “The United Press.” “That’s a whole lot of papers, isn’t it. Say, you know what you ought to do?. Write a story and tell everybody how much us boys over her want snapshots of the folks back home. Tell 'em pictures are the best thing they can-send us.© We don't care if they can cut off our packages, 80 long as we can get pictures. “‘Of course we can't send pictures of _ourselves home, because it’s against the rules. But we always look the same in uniforms, anyway. But snapshots sure make you feel close to the folks back -home| The more than a million morals to this story are the more than a mil- lion doughboys who are longing for snapshots of the ‘“folks back home.” Are You One? Anyone can begin a thing, most peo- ple can finish one already begun, but those who can always be depended upon to go straight ahead from start to finish are few and far between. BILL: AFFECTS Under the general terms industrial center to ‘close will go out at once. Third St. WANT AD DEPT. Advertisements . in = this e e e R cost half cent a word per issue, whefi | FOR RENT—30 acres, Sec. 17, T'wWp. No ad will be run for less than 10c” per issue. Ads charged on our books cost one per issue. No ads run paid cash in advance. cent a wor for less than .26c. o A~ ~r. FOR SALE '"FOR SALE—A good automobile |~~~ consider trade for will Phone 292-J. cheap, piaro. FOR SALE—One 1916 and one 1917 Phone 1. FOR SALE—Modern house, , 719 c Minn. avenue. Inguire at house or | WANTED—Girl for' general ‘house- Ford touring: car. .Tel 309 or 565. FOR SALE—Two milk cows, four years old, wi'l sell cheap. ~A. M.| WANTED — Chambermaid. Sande, at Brose’s Tobacco store. THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEER PRESIDENT SIGNS ‘DRY Washington, Sept. 13.—President Wilson has signed the joint resolu- tion passed by congress, \empowering him to establish ‘prohibition zones around shipyards, muntitions factor- ies and other war industries. olution more drastic restrictions than now prevail may be ordered for all war plants, but the measure is aimed specifically at the town of Oliver, ‘Wis., which has sprung up with sa- loons across the river from Duluth, Minn. It is understood that the or- der for a wide zone about the Duluth N. L. HAKKERUP PHOTOGRAPHER Photos Day and Night ‘Will sell right. Koors Bros, OLIVER FOR SALE OR TRADE—Tractor Mo- practically new.- See Carl Opsata, Bemidi, Minn. R. No. 2. 12t914 FOR SALE—Hand made stake wagon.| WANTED-—Carpénters, 70% per hour for first class men. Apply J. Pfef- 810t fer, Webb Location, I—Hbtl;ing, inn, < 6t914 e BN e Bt et s line Universal 6-12 horsepower; | WANTED—Girl for general house- work. Apply at once. gust Monson, © b87-W. Mrs, ‘Au- Phone 9-12tf Nymore. FOR RENT of the res-| FOR RENT—Three warm, light, clean rooms ‘hardwood floors, for avenue. 21914 FOR SALE OR RENT—Furnished, six room ‘house, 1237 Dewey ave-| nue. Telephone 161-J. 6t918 up Oliver | FOR RENT—Good seven-room kouse; 3 1208 Bemidji avenue, about Oct. " 1st. Inquire of P. H. Mintey, Be- midji, Minn. Phone 19F4. FOR RENT—Six-room furnished house, for six months. 901 Lake Blv'd, ¥ FOR RENT—Five-room ht;use, B%so med- 317 Bemidji furnished flat for the winter, ern except heat, close in. “Phone 618-W Smith. America. FOR RENT—Cott;g_;as. Thomas Roy- 823tt craft, Lavinia, Minn. column Frohn, to seed to rye. Rent for cash WANTED—Good girl housework. = Call 272. Moberg, light housekeeping.’ 1301 Bemidji WANTED-—Competant maid for gen- 3 4 7 eral housework. for general Mrs. John 3t914 Mrs. B. W: John- son, 1213 Lake Boulevard. Phone 11-R. PRtk AL S0 A R B S5 ANTED TO. PURCHASE—A well 97tt Jlocated residence property- in Be- midji. Address D44, care Pioneer, giving street number and lowest cash price. e SABROPRICOIR R b e SR 4t917| WANTED—Competent maid for gen- eral - housework. 10t916 Mrs. Kaplan, Kaplan bu_lldlqg. - 9btf ke e ok oot AN s i 2t914( WANTED. TO' RENT—Modern fur- nisked room, close to business dis- oral housework. Mrs. Tom Hughes, 703 Bemidji avenue, Phone 433, || LOST AND FOUND trict, by young married couple, rés- idents of Bemidji. Address X. Y Pioneer. = & e ————————————————————————— ) 6t914 | WANTED—Competent girl for gen & PROFESSIONAL - Office in O’Leary-Bowser Blk BUSINESS DOCTORS br. A. E. Henderson vTelephone 72-R _THORWALD LUNDE DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC * Acute and Chronic: = Diseases handled with great success. 1st Nat: Bank Bldg. Phone 406-W' ¢ Hours 10-12°a. m.; 2-6 p. m. ‘DR. 0. B, BANBORXN' PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON .~ Office—Miles Block [ AVORE XD | 912tf street. Phone 495-J. 6-913 FOR RENT—Two furnished rooms, 1302 Bemidji avenue. Phone 452-W. | WANTED WANTED TO RENT-—Small, modern house, good location. Phone 806-J. 5t918 51916 651914 phone 3t914 Apply work. A, J. 498-W. - 61914 Higgins, housekeeper MarkhHam hotel. 61914 : fice. or on shares. Address 307 Seventh | LOST—An Eastern Star pin, Satur- day; finder return to Pione®r of- Reward offered. T 3t913 Fall Clothes Are Here . .. ... and I can 'see but little with my left eye. 2 is 'The HOUSE of KUPPENHEIMER % Ly suits and Overcoats now in progress. OUR Fall showing of AND STYLE PLUS has sent us some smart, new - designs,skillfully tailored from * fabrics chosen for their long wearing qualities. ~ Our stock of Fall garments is very complete and offers a wide variety from which to choose. We want you to inspect the new models—even though you may not intend to make an immediate selection. BEMIDJI Priced $25 and up GILL BROS MINNESOTA The Home of Kuppenheimer and Style Plus Clothes ~ - PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON EYE. EAR NOSE THROAT Glassés Fitted e _DR. E-H. SHITH - Office Security Bank Bleck DR. E. A. SHANNON, M. D. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Oftice in Mayo Block Phone 39¢ - Res. Phone 397 DE. L. A. WARD BPHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Bemidji, Minn. DRS. GILMORE & McCANN PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS "~ Oftice=—Miles Block DR. H. A. THRO! oswkgpfirggnrnysrgmn AND SURGEON Ibertson Block Office Phone 153 DR. EINER JOHNSON PHY_S}C!AN AND SURGEON Bemidjl, Minn, 4 DENTISTS DR. J. W. DIEDRICH DENTIST - . Office, O’Leary-Bowser Bldg Office Phone 376-W . Res, 376-R DR. J. T. TUOMY DENTIST North of Markham Hotel Gibbons Block Tel. 230 DR. D. L._STANTON DENTIST- s Office in Winter -Block GRAHAM M. TORRANCE LAWYER Miles Block’ Phone 560 VETERINARIANS E. R. BURGESS, D. V. M, Veterinarian Office Phone 3-R 8rd St. and Irvine Ave. J. WARNINGER VETERINARY - SURGEON Office and Hospital 3 doors west of Troppman's, Phone No. 209 3rd St. and Irvine Ave. BUSINESS Noxlmnwilgflml [nn. MN '111%95“ 0% WE CAN Anything Offices Security Bank Bldg.—Tel. 747 Insure Anywhere PHOTOGRAPHS For the Boys in France Sittings Made Day or Night HAKKERUP STUDIO . FUNERAL DIRECTOR M, E. IBERTSON UNDERTAKER 406 Beltrami Ave., Bemid}i, Minn. e Defective DRY CLEANING Clothes Jlewners tor Men, Womeyg and Children GENERAL MERCHANDISE - Groceries, Dry Goods, Shoes, Flour, Feed, etc. Bemidjiw‘ e Emg“‘ [ MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Pjanos, Organs, Sewing Machines 117 Third St., Bemidjl J. BISIAR, Mgr: ‘Phone 573-W TOM SMART DRAY AND TRANSFER Res. Photie 68 818 America Office Phone 12