IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume XII, Issue 45, 7 April 1910, Page 2

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.

During the Franco-Prussiau War, Sergeant HoS won the Legion of Honour for gallantry in the field, but some of his actions were such as to make the Prussians swear to shoot him if ever they got hold of him. During the siege of Paris, Hoff was captured, but he tore off the signs of his rank, threw away his cross, and called himself “Private Wolff.” The Prussians, however, suspected his identity, and determined to set a trap for him. One day when Sergeiant Hof! was washing vegetables for dinner, a Prussian officer came into the prison and shouted out, “Hoff !” The sergeant did not move. The officer then said, “Here is a letter for Sergeant Hoff, whose parents are very ill.” As no one answered, the officer went up to each man and examined him closely, but those, who were in the secret and knew that Private Wolf! was really Sergeant Hoff did not even look his way. At last, the officer went up to Hoff, and looked him full in the face, but Hoff was apparently absolutely unconcerned.

He confessed afterwards that he had never felt so near death all through the war, for the Prussians shot and hanged men ruthlessly for the slightest infraction of the laws of war, and Hof! had not always been particular how he made up the number of thirty of the enemy who had fallen by his hand.