GERMAN DESERTERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 453, 11 March 1909, Page 5

GERMAN DESERTERS.

heavy sente:;::s. FRENCH FOREIGN LCCION |;J313u."1T. PKN'AL SEIIVITUDF. inv I'bi.iv:!.'ii ii A-isiici \r\f.\ -rcrviiifiiir.) (11. c. .'.hnch 11, 0.7 a.m.) Louden, March 10. Twenty-five Germans who deserted from the French Foreign Legion, as cabled on December 16, have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from two to twenty years' penal, servitude. DESERTERS STICK UP A TRAIN. According to "Le Temps," on December 13 forty-eight men of the Foreign Legion, of Gorman nationality, left the Southern Oral! post cf Aain-cl-Hadjar (French Algeria), with arms and equipment. One of them had succeeded in stealing a lieutenant's clonk, ami dressed in this took command of the party. They marched towards Bu flechid and awaited the arrival of the morning train from Colomb Bechar to Saidaaud Oran. When the train appeared, one of them, standing on the line, signalled with a red lamp for it to stop. The driver pulled up. The soldiers immediately formed a line on either side of the train with bayonets fixed. Some of them were then told off to mount the engine and guard's von while others guarded the doovs of the carraiges. There were in the train General Vigy, Colonel do Bouillon, Captain Feral, and about forty other persons. Whilo some of tho soldiers cut the telegraph'wires, the driver was ordered to roverse his ongiiio under threats of instant death. The pseudo-lieutenant in command of the party explained that ho was executing the orders of the division. The intervention of General Vigy and Colonel do Bouillon, although the latter was in uniform, was of no avail. Tho train started to return, and, after passing one station, the leader of the mutineers ordered the driver to stop. He did so, whereupon all the soldiers left the train, drew up in perfect order, and at the command of their leader, "Forward, quick march," quietly disappeared in tho night towards the south-west. Subsequently the deserters were all recaptured with little trouble. Paris papers showed much feeling, alleging that German agencies provoked the desertions,