HOW A COSSACK ESCAPED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15912, 8 May 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOW A COSSACK ESCAPED.

KILLS GUARD AND SENTRY.

.' SUFFERINGS IN A FOREST. Jacob Halls', a, Don Cossack, who' - has returned to Kieff from the front, has the rare distinction of wearing on his chest the insignia of all four grades of the St. George's Cross. Ho won the highest degree of this order in, the following manner. He was taken prisoner in the Masurian Rakes zoiio, after the patrol to which ■ ho belonged had fought to the last against greatly superior force. -When it was learned that Halin was a sub-lieutenant, he was kept back for examination, but, on being questioned, he replied: "You may cut mo to pieces if you like, but you'll get no information from me." The German officers shrugged their shoulders, and ordered him to be placed in a barn .for the night. It was frosty weather. .••A storm was raging, and the drifting snow was carried through the crevices of; the" shed. Halin waited for the darkness,, and soon heard the steps of the guard pacing to and fro. After considering hie situation, he de-cided.-that to escape was. possible. He crawled up among the rafters, and, discovering that the roof was only thatched with grass, broke his way through and waited for the guard to approach. No sound could be heard above the howling of tile storm. , As the sentry came- round, the Cossack | flung . himself upon him from above,, clutched him by the throat, and strangled, him before he could utter a cry. 'Halin put on the dead roan's , helmet, took his rifle and cartridge pouch, and set out,: determined, by some means or other; to gel back to the Russian lines. Before he had gono very far lie suddenly heard the "Wer, Da'/" of/the German sentry. He replied with an inarticulate murmur, imitating as well as he could the nan gutleral. The sentry, owing to tho rush of a gust of wind, did not hear, ami demanded a repetition of the reply This gave Haliu the' chance ho wanted. Ho dashed at the sentry and plunged his bayonet into his heart. For seven days ho' Wandered 'hbout the Augustov forest, suffering terribly from hunger and cold. At length he succeeded in reaching the Russian lines. During, the attack on Ossouez ho was wounded in 'tho back and" feet by the explosion of a "portmanteau,' and he has been sent to Kieff, to be healed.