Custody in a Fortress

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 March 1911, Page 4

Custody in a Fortress

flow Till'' I'-XCLISir Oinci.'RS ARE LIKELY TO KAHK. Herr -'Ucinhold Cronheiin gives some indication' of Ihe good lime which Lieii'Leii'Miiil Brandon and Captain 'IVencli. the English officers who were sentenced to lour years' detention in a fortress for espionage aro likely to have during their "imprisonment." Herr Crowbeim, who was sen-leiif-ed to three months' "honourable' custody" in the fortress ait Galtz lor an offence against the German Press laws, thus describes his experiences: "I arrived l at Galtz from Berlin aind proceeded to an excellent hotel, where I slept before presenting myslf to the 'commanding officer, the fortress General, at ten o'clock the next morning. "T exepctcd to meet a fire-eater but instead, of that 1 saw before nic a benevolent old gentleman, who looked' at me with a penetrating glance through eyeglasses. "The General said to live, "Your arrival was announced, lint I cannot yet put you up in the fortress. I thought you would come to-morrow or the day after, and have not yet had your room heated. It is oold in the fortress. Now. you just wander about the town to-day. Meanwhile 1 will have preparat i<►s made for your reception. Towards evening everything will bo prepared for your visit.' , "The General (hen mentioned several regulations, saving that whenever allowed leave beyond the fortress boundaries, prisoners must not go beyond a radius of two miles. "Towards evening 1 ascended A STEEP ~ ! r/L to the fortress and knocked at a heavy portal, whereupon a sentry appeared. "I said, 'I am a new prisoner.' and the sentry replied, - l kmow everything. Your room is well heated audi the lamp lighted.' "It was ushered into an immen's;* room lighted with a petroleum lamp suspended from the ceiling In the background) was a cam]) bed. and near it a stove, a small table, two chairs, and a washstand. "Since that time conditions have changed radically. Now prisoners in the fortress have much more luxurious quarters. "A few minutes later another soldier entered the room, saluted, and ie|K>rted himself for service. I'p to this moment I had not fully realised the luxuries of honourable custody in a fortress. /'This soldier had come to place himself at my disposal, and act as my personal valet during mv period of detention. "That first evening I sent my visiting card by mv soldier-valet to all the other gentlemen in honourable custody of the fortress, and begged them to return my "all personally without deluy in order to lose no time. "It would be improper for me to monition the names of the participants in the banquet win'..;!, ensued, because many of them to-dav are the occupants of high oHiies. and have been the recipients of notable marks of distinction, but that evening remains unforgettable be; a use of the liberal measure 'of freedom which General 'X' allowed us. "Since 1 was there 1 have often been seized with a longing ,-;nre more to be there, and enjoy that magnificent outlook over the mountains which presents itself to the lover of nature in winter and early spring. "One can have a fine time at GTatz even it one be a British captain convioted of espionage."