Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-25
BELGIANS KILLED
FOR REFUSING TO
GIVE UP WEAPONS
German Novelist Hoecker.
Now a Landwehr Captain.
Describes the Narrowing
Scene and Says There's
Much Sniping.

letter written from the field by Pau,
osksr Hoecker. one of the leading Gas.
man novelists, who is serving as a con.
tain OF the Landwehr in Belgium give,
a vivid description of the searching ana
shooting of Belgian civilians at Hoeoker,,
own order, when they we're found to h.
in possession of weapons. The lettsr
which appears In the Berlin Lokal.An.
zeiger of August 27. reads, in part. an
follows:
"our assignment is heavy and grievous
We are not yet to get into the first line
we do not even know where the first lin.
is-we are not yet to fight with hon.
orable foes in the field But we are IA
clear the territory of the Meuse a,
snipers. Each day shots are fired fron,
cover upon our troops as they pass, esns.
cially upon small groups, couriers, cvels
officers and the military motors So Az
last II is a question of dealing sharrlv
A clear and energetic proclamation has
warned the inhabitants of all Belgian
territory so far occupied by us to deliver
over to us all weapons, ammunition and
explosives in the next few hours.
SOLDIERS GIVE CHASE.
mo house in these parts is without A
German flag. Just as we open the gate
a young fellow makes a break for tn.
nearby woods. give chase, but IN.
white thorn bushes, high as a mans
shoulders. make pursuit impossible.
"a woman appears in answer to Our
shout. Is she alone in the house? Alone7
No; she has a daughter of is years with
her. No one else? Hesitatngly she adds
yes, her husband is at home. too. We
tlo fro
tom
"A last word of warning: You know,
Monsieur, that every civilian who is still
found in possession of weapons must be
shot forthwith They answered: We
have no weapons!'
My men divide into groups and search
cellar. living rooms, barn and stable,
and ransack the garden.
Who was the fellow who escaped
just as we came in, Monsieur I ask
Have you, in this last moment, a con-
fession to make to me?'
''The old man clasps his hands: No,
Monsieur Officer, as a man of 72 year,
l swear to you-'
THEY FIND SNIPER.
And then the horrible happens A
guardsman and a sergeant drag a young
fellow out of the house. They have
1Ounu MIN nlQlnB IN the straw on the
ground floor. He had a Belgian gun in
his hands. loaded with five cartridges
From the attic window he may have
aimed that gun at many an honest Ger
mans head or chest. The young fellow
had been forced to raise his hands. He
stands there trembling, pale as cheese.
WHO is this young fellow?' I ask the
old man.
"All three have fallen upon their knees,
as q thunderbolt might have struck
them and are raising loud lamentations.
The woman screams:
He Is my son! For Gods sake, you
do not nj, n to take his life?'
And the 15-year-old girl is bowling so
that our hearts almost break with pity
for her. The delinquent tries to break
away, but is caught by our men.
II am obliged perforce to bring up
into my mind the picture of the poor
Germans on patrol riding out. true to
duty, in the night, around whose heads
the bullets of treacherous snipers
whizzed: must perforce conjure up in
my mind the bright eyes and handsome
figures of our good German boys-in or
der to keep my nerve In the face of all
this misery and lamentation and to obey
strict orders.
"He will be shot. Three men for
wardn