The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-09-25
ANCESTRAL HOME
in BELGIUM WAS
BATTERED DOWN
Former Cook Druggist Returns
from Europe; House Was
Scene of Bloody Battle.
BELIEVES GERMANY
WILL ULTIMATELY WIN
Saw Hundreds Killed on Prem.
ises Where His Ancestors.
Had Lived for Centuries.

D. Engelbert, former druggist al
Cook and International Falls, who re-
Gently fell heir to a fortune in Bel
gium by the death of relative and
who fled from his ancestral home be.
fore the German invasion was Vir:
ginia visitor yesterday to adjust some
business matters. He was an eye wit
ness to one of the early battles of the
war between German and Belgian
troops and his country seat near Liege
was the scene of sharp fight where
hundreds Of men were killed and
wounded and was finally razed by
shell fire from the German batteries.
Engelbert is graduated from a Ger
man university with the degree of
Doctor of Chemistry. He comes from
an old and aristocratic Belgian family
and his sympathies in the present
struggle are with Germany. Ger
many will win in the Great War, ac-
cording to Mr.. Engelbert. If she does
not it will be because there are no
more Germans left to fight and when
the armies Of the allies so completely
overrun all Of the German empire
that further resistance is impossible.
The German people do not look upon
war as do we in America, according to
Mr.. Engelbert. The spirit of militar-
ism is dominant in national life. The
great mass of the German people be
lieve they were forced into the war
by Great Britain and France, whom
they have been taught, to believes for
a long time have envied Germans
commercial supremacy. Their pat
riotism is ardent. TO die on the
battlefield fighting for the Father
land is esteemed an honor by the rank
and file of the German army. It is
the most magnificent, most perfectly
equipped fighting machine in the
world and it cannot be conquered in
the estimation of Mr.. Engelbert.
The German advance and invasion
of Belgium, Engelbert says, was so
sudden and swift that it was irresist-
ible. Out of the east over night came
the armies of the emperor Sweeping
every road and highway, seizing every
bridge and taking advantage Of every
bit of ground adaptable for defense.
First came the Uhlans and after them
the artillery and infantry, requiring
hours to pass a given point so great
was their number.
Engelbert's home was situated on a
tract Of ground of about ten acres,
where the Belgians decided to stand
against the invaders. It was built
more than century ago. Soldiers
battered holes through the walls to
be used as portfolios. and took posses
sion of the place. Engelbert and his
wife fled beyond the lines. About
their home for hours a battle ragged
but the Belgians were finally driven
out and forced to abandon the posi-
ton. Engelbert returned to find a
complete ruin and the yard and fields
-strewn with dead and dying men and
horses. Later with his wife he left
the country and managed to get to
England by way of Ostend, taking
ship at Southampton for America
where he arrived about two. weeks
ago. He is confident the war will not
soon be ended. From Virginia Engel-
bert went to Detroit, Mich, yester-
day, where he has accepted position
with the Parke-Davis company.