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HOW THOMAS HITCHCOCK JR ESCAPED Son of WellKnown Turfman Tell How He Made His Way to Svitzcrland Lieut Thomas Hitchcock Jr son of the well known turfman Th Thmii mii Hitchcock and a member of tin Jockey Club Ix now In Paris after his cscajM from a jerman priwiri camp Hitchcock was cap ¬ tured March 0 when he was forced to land after an aerial combat with three German machines lie was wounded in the thigh and his machine be ¬ came disabled at an altitude of 1000 meters but lie managed to land safely inside the German line Hi was immediately seized by several Germans and taken to a dressing station From there he was sent to a hospital at St Arnold Later he was transferred to Saarhrucken SaarhruckenAfter After landing inside the German lines said Hitchcock while relating some of the incidents in connection with his capture and escape I fainted twice The second time I did not come to my senses until I had reached the dressing station In the hospital I received fair treatment only There was one doctor for the 150 patients and the food was not good goodI I escaped while being transported with two other Americans from Lachfeld to Itastadt There was one German guard for the three of us usWhile While the train stonped at a station near Vim the guard fell into a doze I snatched the railway map which was near him and also my money We were not Jillowed to handle our money Presently moneyPresently the guard awoke and missed the map and money Picking tin my package of food which had been saved from my rations but leaving the map behind I rushed out of the door opposite and ran as fast as possible away from the railroad track The guard yelled after me but I knew that he could not follow because of the two other prisoners he had in charge chargeI I then slowed down and began to wjilk toward the frontier During the daytime I always hid in I he woods and at night I evaded towns and vil ¬ lages walking around them I was always on a close watch for the Germans for I was in the mji fonn f a French aviator Most of the territory I traversed was farming land with the iople woiking during the day Vlicn thev left the fields in the trampI evening I would begin my tramp I madv excellent progress esccpt now and then when I encountered marshes fences and hedges I slept during the daytime after having wade sure of the safety of my sleeping place Arriving at what I thought was the Swiss frontier I watched for traps such as electrically charged wires and automatic signals Apparently I evaded all such things thingsOne One morning 1 felt sure that I was in Switzer ¬ land but before inouiriiig I added a few extra miles in my tramp and found mysilf in a little village There I asked a girl who spoke French where I wjis She said I was in Switzerland and theii I kuev I was safe
