The Gettysburg Compiler

Nazi Prisoners Are Captured in York County

July 15, 1944
The two German prisoners of war who escaped eight days ago from the prison camp at the southern edge of Gettysburg were captured on Tuesday about 10:30 a. m. at a farmhouse five miles southwest of York by troopers from the York state police substation, summoned by a farmer who had been asked for food by the fugitives.

The prisoners, apparently wore the shirt of his German Army uniform when captured. Neither wore the blue denim overalls described as their garb in first reports of the escape. They were wearing brown and olive drab trousers and shirts which they said they had since leaving Gettysburg.

Turned Over To Army

The prisoners were taken to the York state police substation where they were met by a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who had been working out of York on the escape. The Gettysburg camp was notified by telephone and police at York said they understood guards were being sent from here to York to take the men into custody. The FBI told The Gettysburg Times this noon that the men were turned over to military officials.

The capture was made in Spring Garden township four and a half to five miles west of York and south of the Lincoln highway. The farmhouse is located near Indian Rock dam. Sgt. Lloyd B. Gibbs, a former resident of York Springs and graduate of Gettysburg high school, now stationed with the state police at York, told The Gettysburg Times this morning that the prisoners were detained by a farmer who had been tipped off by police Monday evening that the fugitives were in the vicinity. The officers found the prisoners in the back yard of the farm house. The capture was made without any difficulty.

Apparently food was used by the farmer to detain the men until the officers arrived.

Had Camp Raincoats

The prisoners had with them their camp raincoats on which the letters "PW" were still in place. The letters did not appear on any of the clothing they were wearing when captured. The prisoners were not armed.

They seemed in good spirits and smiled continuously in the York police station.

Their English was described by the York officers as "poor" and little information had been secured.