These are miscellaneous articles, including several deaths, from the New York American, Monday, October 21, 1918:
TINY LADY OF SIX MAKES RECORD AS SELLER OF BONDS
Miss Shirley Palmer Has Added $1,000 to Uncle Sam’s Treasury by Patriotic Effort.
Six-year-old Shirley PALMER, of No. 105 West Ninety-fourth street, is a worthy little citizen. Her Liberty Bond sales after school hours have meant just $1,000 to Uncle Sam, and Shirley has not lost one whit of her enthusiasm by her success.
Not only able to sell bonds, this little girl has earned enough to buy one all by herself by posing for New York artists in studios for fashions and for advertisements.
When asked what she would do now that the loan drive is all over, Shirley replied promptly:
"Well, now I’ll sell Thrift Stamps again."
CHICAGO FLIER DOWNS FOE AERO IN BUSY DAY
With the American Army northwest of Verdun, Oct. 19. (By Associated Press).—Aviator Will ERVIN, of Chicago, had a busy day Friday. Early in the morning he brought down a German airplane in a fight near Fleville.
Later he participated in the all-American raid behind the German lines, acting as one of the scouts protecting the bombing machines.
BROOKLYN MAN DECORATED
PARIS, Oct. 20—William McDONALD of Brooklyn, attached to the American Y.M.C.A. has been decorated with the French War Cross for carrying comforts to men in the front lines under the most severe bombardment.
CAPTIVE ARMY NURSES TO GET REGULAR PAY
By Universal Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20—Captured army nurses, while held prisoners, hereafter will receive their regular pay for the United States Government. This reversal of the previous ruling handed down by the Treasury Department July 16 was made public yesterday. The original ruling classed army nurses as civilian employees and denied them any pay while in captivity.
This recognition is taken by nursing authorities here as an indication that rank soon may be granted to the army nurse corps.
10 MEDICAL MEN CITED FOR UNDER-FIRE RELIEF
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20—Ten pharmacist mates and hospital apprentices have been commended by Secretary DANIELS for conspicuous bravery. They are commended for attending wounded marines in France under shell fire. The Navy Department also announced to-day that two enlisted men had been commended for quick thinking in emergencies.
Machinist Mate John FABRIS of Brunswick, Ga., was commended for initiative and zeal. He held in place with his hands a broken tripping rod igniter spring on the center engine of his ship during a recent engagement. This action enabled the vessel to maintain speed and position.
(There are some articles that, even though of no use genealogically, just have to be preserved!)
DOUGHBOYS IN PARIS JUST OWN THE TOWN
Pershing’s Men on Furlough Play Baseball on the
Street Like American Boys Do Here at Home
Two Tiny Lumps of White Sugar in a Jeweler’s Window Excite Wonder of an Alabaman
By Robert Willis Ritchie, Universal Service Staff Correspondent
PARIS, Oct. 20—Two camion drivers in American khaki, waiting for their cars to take a load from an American Red Cross office, which happened to be moving its quarters, climbed down from their cars, dug two gloves and a baseball from some hidden recess under the seats and began to toss each other high ones.
This occurred this morning on the Rue King George V., a street of exclusive and sedate mansions just off the Champs Elysees, comparable, I should say, to New York’s Madison avenue somewhere in the Eighties.
A crowd gathered. Grocers’ boys pushing tiny carts paused to admire the dexterity of the two lanky Americans; nurses bound with their charges to the leafy avenues of the boulevard halted them to watch the backward and forward flights of the ball. A French army officer, whose generous spade beard nearly covered the medals of honor on his blue tunic, stared a little incredulously at first, then slowed his pace to join the fringe of spectators. Perhaps there were fifty watchers in all.
"Look out for this one, Bill; I’m going to put something on it," quoth the Doughboy with the red hair showing like a smoldering flame under the tight rim of his service cap. He wound himself up and delivered something leaving a trail of smoke. His companion caught it with one hand as it curved outward just at his knees.
"Bul-lee, mon brave!" shouted the French colonel, and clapped his gloved hands. The Doughboys grinned and continued their game with intense seriousness, pretending to ignore the admiring crowd of watchers.
I went on my way convinced that I had a beautiful concrete example to illustrate what I wanted to write concerning the ways of American soldiers in France. Less than an hour later another equally delightful illustration was dropped before my eyes.
SUGAR "SOME VALUABLE."
It was a popular sidewalk café in front of the Opera, where twenty and more American Doughboys on furlough were scattered among the tables dipping coffee with a dozen or so red-faced huskies wearing the Australian brown. A lad with a drawl that must have been bred in Alabama breezed into the crowd and addressed all within range of his voice:
"I’ll say sugar is some valuable when you see it in a jeweler’s window alongside of diamonds an’ emeralds an’ pretty things thataway." He cast a keen eye around the group to find the expected challenge. It came promptly:
"Whatdymean, sugar in a jeweler’s window!" A bull-necked sergeant with the insignia of the Signal Corps on his collar sneered contemptuously: "If it was a pack of Humps (soldier slang for a favorite brand of American cigarettes) I might believe you."
The upshot of the ensuing argument was that some money was put up, that being always the final arbiter where soldiers go; and the whole troop arose from their seats and clattered down the adjacent Rue de la Paix. I followed to be in at the death. When I reached the group before the window of a very exclusive goldsmith’s—the Tiffany of Paris—a sympathetic crowd of French girls and men had closed around the strangers to share in the excitement. The infection of the Doughboys’ excitement readily spread to the natives and there was a high babble of mixed tongues.
Sure enough, there in the window reposing on velvet and with diamonds of great price flanking on either side was a gold vanity box on a golden chain from the tiny recess of which protruded two crystal-white cubes of sugar.
GOLDEN BOX THE MODE
While the boy with the Alabama drawl was collecting his winnings and his companions were complaining to the ear of the wide world that they had been "hornswoggled" several chic little midinettes were trying busily to explain that they carrying of sugar in a specially wrought golden sugar box was now the mode.
The whole sidewalk made it a business to get this information across to the sheepishly grinning American and Australian fighters. Much oratory was indulged, and enough waving of palms to sell ten suits of hand-me-downs on Rivington street, New York. It was a real party and when the winner linked arms with two of the losers to lead them to a place where the stake might be spent the little midinettes with bold eyes gave them a cheer.
More perfectly than any attempted exposition do these two incidents exemplify the relations between the American soldier and the French behind the lines. There is something so coolly peremptory, yet totally inoffensive, about the conduct of Uncle Sam’s wards over here that gets under the skin of the observer from the United States, who learns so much that cannot be whispered in news dispatches, and discovers so quickly why the tonic of American breeziness is so essential to the present happiness of the French people.
We got our introduction to this naïve attitude of possession before our boat had touched dock at a port which the genius of American engineers has lifted from obscurity to the position of one of the best in France. Our ship passed an American collier close by, and, of course, there was a great amount of waving.
"Welcome to our city!" called a sailor from the collier’s deck. "You’re going to like it, boo-oo!"
NEGRO PREACHER HAS 12 SONS IN SERVICE
RAYVILLE, La., Oct. 16—Twelve sons in active service is the record of R. H. WINSLOW, a Negro preacher, of this parish. Eight sons enlisted before the enactment of the selective service law and the other four are in the National Army. Two of the soldiers are twins, the last three triplets.
Because of the remarkable record plans are under way for a public demonstration for Mr. WINDSLOW. He already has received a congratulator letter from President Wilson. Mr. WINDSLOW conducts a Red Cross auxiliary.
(Yes, I know, 2 different spellings of the name. But, this is how the article has it. I’m sure the family will know this story and know the correct spelling.)
‘HEARD SHELL COMING,’ WOUNDED MAN WRITES
LOS ANGELES, Cal., Oct. 16—"We heard the shell coming and tried to dodge, but it didn’t do much good." Sergeant Raymond J. ELLIS wrote his mother, Mrs. Emma A. ELLIS, a nurse, from a base hospital in France. He was wounded in the right foot.
ELLIS is serving with the Thirteenth Field Artillery, Battery C., and has been in France since May. He is twenty-eight years old.
SENDS SOUVENIR OF ENEMY PLANE HOME
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 16—Sergeant George P. BOLIG, Company 11, First Regiment, in France, has sent to a friend, Miss Alma HASSELBERG, a piece of camouflaged linen taken from the wing of a boche plane.
In his letter he says, "I had the pleasure of seeing an exciting air battle take place right over my head and I was only one square away from the spot, where the two bouche aviators fell. We sure did get some souvenirs. This is a piece of the camouflage linen from the plane.
"We have plenty of hard work over here, ducking bombs thrown in, but little things like that do not worry us.
"I have just come back from a fourteen days’ foreign furlough, visiting many famous cities. I crossed the Wilson bridge in Lyons, dedicated in honor of our president."
WIFE’S GARDEN PAYS FOR MAN’S CAMPAIGN
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore., Oct. 16—While her husband was making his campaign for the Legislature last Spring, Mrs. Roy GRIGGS, of Comstock, got busy with a war garden. The results were so good she thinks she will be able to pay the expenses of herself and her husband at Salem next Winter.
MAKES COFFIN AND DIGS GRAVE FOR SON
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. (illegible)—Unable to secure an undertaker to bury his son Jack, a senior at the high school who died a week ago from Spanish influenza, Rabbi ROSENFELD fashioned a coffin out of rough boards secured from a lumber dealer, hired an express wagon and buried the body with the aid of a friend, after digging the grave.
DRIVERS AID GRAVE DIGGERS
Spanish influenza has played such havoc in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., that grave diggers could not prepare for the funerals here. In St. Joseph’s Cemetery there were fifteen burials. Chauffeurs and drivers of hearses assisted in digging graves.
CHILDREN SEEK MISSING MOTHER
The seven children of Mrs. Marie Louise PROVOST of Springfield, Mass., have offered a $50 Liberty Bond in reward for any information concerning their mother’s whereabouts. Since she disappeared from her home, at No. 21 Fremont street, Springfield, on September 4, a nation-wide search for her has been instituted.
Mrs. PROVOST is 5 feet, 1 inch tall, weighs 155 pounds, has brown eyes and hair, and there is a birthmark on one of her arms. When she left home she wore a blue skirt, dark blue coat and white waist.
GIRL WHOSE AUTO KILLED TWO HELD IN $15,000 BAIL
The arraignment of Miss Edith MORTIMER, nineteen years old, who accidentally killed two men Saturday evening in an automobile accident, was held yesterday in the Flushing Police Court before Magistrate Thomas Doyle. Her father, Stanley MORTIMER, wealthy clubman, of Wheatley Hills, appeared with her. It was revealed that Miss Mortimer in a former accident ran into and killed a five-year-old boy. She was not held by the authorities in that instance, but settled with the child’s parents for $500.
Magistrate DOYLE fixed bail at $15,000. It was provided by Herbert S. HARVEY, former Sheriff of Queens County. The case was continued until Wednesday.
BOY AND MAN KILLED IN 2 AUTO ACCIDENTS
George MEDOFF, three years old, of 285 Bristol street, Brooklyn, ran into the path of an automobile driven by Sylvester FLANAGAN, of No. 725 Church street, Richmond Hill, yesterday. The lad was knocked down and suffered injuries which caused his death.
While crossing Thirteenth avenue, near Forty-second street, Brooklyn, early yesterday, Israel ZIEGLER, twenty-eight, of No. 1334 Forty-third street, Brooklyn, was fatally injured by an automobile. The car was operated by Adolph BRENNER, of No. 1324 Forty-eighth street, Brooklyn, its owner. ZIEGLER died in the Norwegian Hospital from a fractured skull. BRENNER was detained by the police.
PLAGUE SHIPS QUARANTINED
BUENOS AIRES, Saturday, Oct. 19—Three Merchantmen are quarantined in the River Plate because sanitary officers found cases of Spanish influenza and bubonic plague on board. The Brazilian Government has issued a decree that every day is a holiday for business and official purposes until the present epidemic ends.
OLD WOMAN DIES FROM GAS
Illuminating gas caused the death yesterday of Mrs. Margaret LEIPOLD, seventy, in her rooms at No. 23 Orleans street, Newark. She had evidently tripped over a gas tube, disconnecting it.
BRIDGE OFFICER KILLS SELF
William BEHRENS, former special patrolman of the Harlem bridges, shot and killed himself yesterday morning at his home. He had been in ill health. He resided at No. 1574 First avenue.
HAS SON ACCUSED OF HOMICIDE; SHOT BOY
Gilbert KNUDSEN, eight years old, was killed yesterday afternoon at the foot of Murray street, Tottenville, S. I., by an air rifle discharged by Lloyd NEVILLE, sixteen, of No. 6989 Amboy Road. According to witnesses, the shooting was an accident, but NEVILLE’s father took his son to the Tottenville police station and had him held on a charge of homicide.
KNUDSON’s home was No. 114 Murray street. He was playing with his brother Edward, aged twelve, near a field where NEVILLE and a playmate were practicing on a target. It is said that NEVILLE overshot the mark, stiking the KNUDSON boy in the head. The latter died a few minutes later.
NEWARK CHURCHES DEFY CLOSING EDICT
Assuming the attitude that the open church could not spread Spanish influenza any more than the open saloon, rectors of many churches in Newark yesterday held services.
The right of the Health Board to order the churches closed was questioned by the clergy. Many had kept their buildings closed a week ago yesterday.
SUFFRAGE WAR NURSES DIE OF INFLUENZA
A cablegram to the National American Woman Suffrage Association has announced the death of two members of Women’s Overseas Hospital Unit. They were Miss Winifred WARDER, who died of Spanish influenza in the American Red Cross Hospital in Bordeaux on October 8, and Miss Eva EMMONS, who was in active service at Labouheyre, France.
Miss WARDER formerly lived in Cairo, Ill. Miss EMMONS also was a native of Illinois, but was a registered nurse at Bellevue Hospital. She worked for two years in Belgium and France.
LIMIT ON SURGICAL OPERATIONS IS URGED
By Universal Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20—The civilian medical fraternity of the nation is called upon by President Edward P. DAVIS, of the Volunteer Medical Service Corps to perform no surgical operations unless absolutely necessary to save life during the influenza epidemic.
Dr. DAVIS further advises no medicines or treatment which might depress the vital force of the patient be prescribed by the profession. He urges co-operation with the United States Public Health service in all questions concerning the epidemic.
GRIP VICTIM ENDS HIS LIFE
James SMITH, of No. 14 Jewett street, Brooklyn, committed suicide at his home yesterday. He had been ill with influenza and was despondent.
PRISON CAMP HORRORS TOLD AFTER FLIGHT
Escaped Canadian Soldier Says 15,000 Captives at Minden Were Starved and Enslaved
He Leaped from Train on Way to Work at the Mines and Walked 125 Miles to Dutch Frontier
AN ATLANTIC PORT, Oct. 20.—Fresh evidence of German brutality toward Allied prisoners was brought here to-day by Private Herbert BATCHELOR, of the Forty-eighth Canadian Highlanders. After a year’s hardships in German prison camps he daringly made his escape. He is now returning to Vancouver.
His thrilling journey from Minden, Germany, to the Dutch frontier began with a leap from a moving train and ended only after he had crawled through eight miles of marshes. He traveled solely by night, and his entire stock of food during his 125-mile trip consisted of three pounds of bread. He said:
"I was taken prisoner with seven others of my company who volunteered as sappers. We were digging one day thirty feet under the German front line at Ypres. The Germans exploded a counter mine and we were buried for eight hours. When we at last dug an opening large enough for one man to crawl through a German guard awaited us with grenades and rifles. We had to surrender.
CLUBBED BY UHLANS.
"Within two days after passing through Belgium, where the people were clubbed by the German Uhlans when they offered food to us, we were in the prison camp at Dullmen. Our food was black bread and coffee made from roasted acorns. Our work consisted of cutting and gathering heather out on the moors.
"After eight weeks, I was send, with 18 others, to the big camp at Minden, on the River Weser. There were more than 16,000 prisoners here. Many of them were sent to the mines until they were brought out too ill and weak to stand it any longer. Many of them came out with the loss of a leg or an arm. All were in a terrible condition. A dozen or more died each day of terribly hard work and miserable food rations.
LEAPS FROM A TRAIN.
"After months of work with no chance of escape, because of the triple barbed wire fences and the dogs on watch outside, we were marched to the train at 3:30 in the morning. Five of us were put in one compartment, but the guard went into the adjoining compartment. Later, when another train passed us making a great deal of noise, I let down the window and jumped. I rolled down a grassy embankment and suffered only bad bruises.
"As dawn was breaking I took to the nearest woods, where I lay quiet all day. That night I started northward to the Dutch border, which was more than 125 miles away. I had three pounds of bread. I traveled only at night, lying hidden in ditches or thickets in the daytime. Once a farmer, harrowing with a pair of mich cows, came within thirty feet of my hiding place. When lying in the ditch I was half submerged in water.
NEARLY BETRAYED BY DOGS.
"After the first two nights I grew bolder, and hardly a night passed that I did not pass through five or six small villages. The dogs bothered me with their barking.
"Once I was nearly discovered by two little German girls playing near me. I had hidden in a small clump of brush, quite open, and was lying low in a dry ditch. Playing hide and seek, one girl came within ten feet of me. That was a narrow squeak. Another night, facing a heavy wind, a man riding a bicycle came up on me from behind. We both saw each other at the same moment and he was hardly five feet away.
(The article just ends here—not even closing quotations. It seems truncated to me, but doesn't say it's continued anywhere else.)