Arriving home from France Mrs. Webster J. Scofield of Holmes told of
riding 120 miles imprisoned in a freight car, from Chatillon to Paris,
when the railroads suspended passenger service to move troops.
When she reached Chatillon, homeward bound, with two friends from
Jacksonville, Fla., there were no trains to take civilians to Paris.
They were told by a trainman that a freight car that stood on a side
track filled with gun carriages was going to Paris, and that if they hid
in it they could get through.
Mrs. Scofield, with three other women and two men, took the trainman’s
advice. They had hidden five hours in the darkness when a brakeman
locked the door and they were practically prisoners for six hours more,
until a soldier heard their cries in the Paris freight yards and let
them out.