Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 142, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1917 — TRUSTS HIS FOE; IS SHOT IN BACK [ARTICLE]

TRUSTS HIS FOE; IS SHOT IN BACK

St. Louis Man’s Generosity to Enemy Costs Him His Life. IS VICTIM OF TREACHERY ....... “Fighting Jimmy" Paul, First in Front Line of Enemy, Is Mourned ■by French Foreign Legion—Even Wounded Attend Funeral. Paris. —Generosity toward the enemy cost the life of James Paul of St. Louis, q member of the famous French Foreign legion. Paul was known as "Fighting Jimmy,” and he never failed to live up to his name. To be called one of the bravest men in the legion is a great Jymor, and that was an honor held by “Fighting. Jimmy.” Twenty-four hours before one of the general attacks by the French in their recent offensive in Champagne. Paul was sent out with a body of picked men to “worry” the Germans’" first line with bombs. Paul was the first man over the parapet and got safely through, together with several other Americans. After trying in vain to keep off the attackers with machine guns, the Germans scuttled into their dugouts. Paul, who was in advance, threw a dozen grenade into a dugout and called upon the skulkers to come out. Victim of Treachery. Only one German appeared. He threw up his arms, shouting “Comrade,” assuring Paul the rest of the men inside were dead. Without taking the trouble to search the man for hidden weapons, Paul turned to another dugout. The instant his back was turned the German drew an automatic pistol and fired. Paul fell backward just ns his fellow legion members followed. The German fell with bayonet wounds in his body. Two of Paul’s best friends, Arthur; Berry of "Boston

and Christopher Charles of Brooklyn, knelt beside him. Paul lay on his back and there was a smile on his lips. “You are not badly hurt, are you, Jimmy?” asked his friends. There was no reply, and they turned the body oven The bullet had penetrated the heart and death must have been Instantaneous. Wounded Attend Funeral. After that, any German showing fight was ruthlessly bayonetted. Those who surrendered were spared, although their trip from the front to the fear was far from- pleasant. After the position had been thoroughly cleared out, the legion members retired, bearing with them Paul’s body. Every man who could attended the simple funeral. Even wounded men hobbled out to the improvised cemetery. Paul had been decorated for bravery at the battle of Belloy-en-Santerre, on the Somme, in July, 1916. At that time, single-handed, he held a sector of a trench after his seven companions had been killed. Someone once referred to St. Louis as a German city. “That’s gpt true,” exclaimed Paul. “It is no more a German city -than Paris. True, there are Germans there, but you find Germans everywhere. You will find that St. Louis will send over some mighty good soldiers.”