Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-08-30
LOUVAIN BURNED
AND CITIZENS SHOT
Belgian Seat of Learning DespOiled
and Residents Put to Sword
by Army Corps.
FUGITIvEs TELL TALES OF RUIN
Ciergymen shot Down ana Nuns
Forced to Flee from Their
CiOisters--BOmbs Used
20 wreck City.


copyright. 1914, by Press Publishing Coz
TERNUzED, Holland. Aug. a.
Especial Cablegram 10 the New York
World and Omaha Bee. )-Louvain
was sacked Wednesday night by the
Germans and a great part OF its PEG.
pie was massacred, including women,
children and clergy. Their nation
ality did not save them. English
and American clergymen. alike, we're
slain. All the noble public buildings,
including the town hail, library and
university were destroyed.
Such il the tale OF horror disclosed
at Malines by fleeing refugees and
confirmed by the procurer and by
escaped notahles from the destroyed
city. The atrocity seems incredible,
but there is no reason to doubt its
truth.
Fired IN nv Own Men.
What was the cause Of this sudden
outbreak one cannot as ye. say. The
refugees tell only of the horrors;
they can give no reason, but what
seems TO have happened is that the
German army was defeated at Ma
lines the previous day and fell back
upon Louvsin in some disorder.
Reaching the town in the evening.
the German fugitives were fired
upon in error by their own troops.
Rage at this misfortune and cha
grin over the defeat seems TO have
inflamed the soldiers, who set about
systematically to massacre the popu-
lation and destroy the city, whose
monuments belonged as much to
civilization as to Belgium.
Slaughter begins.
II Is not possible to put on paper
the accounts OF the fukitives. They
we're given in gestures and broken
ordinations rather than in SEN
fences. The purport was always the
same. that their population had done
nothing, but last night returning
German soldiers began To arrive.
Suddenly the Germans became an
cry and began to slaughter, pillaEe
and destroy. None Of the horrors
OF the worst incidents OF barbarian
warfare seem TO have been lacking.
City Lies IN Rains.
From what was told me- nothing re.
mains Of Louvain but ruins, nor OF ,ts
population but fugitves II is possible
that when the full story comes TO be
told II win be found the horror was not
quite 30 great, for all accounts are from
people fleeing for their lives but among
those people. were four civic dignitarles
who were in the city during the night
and who were actually. IN the hands OF
the Germans but escaped.
They are inclined 20 think II vras the
German rage at the defeat at Malines
which set aflhme the barbarian passions.
They declare emphatieally that since the
unopposed occupation OF Louvain by the
Sermans a week ago the civil population
had given no cause for offense.
The attack upon the unarmed popula-
tion came suddenly, the Germans firing
~ tHV edctet kOAuA AEpiu mouse 20 mouse,
pillaging, rayishing, numbering and set
ting the houses on fire Neither age nor
sex was respected. Almost All the clergy
were shot, including one English and one
American clergyman. The monstrous
work continued throughout the night, and
In the morning those officials. who had
taken refuge in the church. were driven
out OF town at the point Of Layonets, but
not killed. the M OF murderous rage hav-
ing evidently passed.
Nuns Flee ClOisters.
On the road from Bouvain TO Antwerp
crowds OF pitiful refugees could be seen.
Nuns fleeing from their cIoisters. priests
from their churches, the sick carried on
their beds. the aged lettering along with
the help OF their children. ali who could.
carrying some poor article OF household
furniture. In enc cart were collected
seventeen children. evidently OF several
families. then In another handcart an old
paisied woman was pushed on by her
grandchild. All were fleeing to Antwerp
as the city Of refuge. the city which
shudders IN the darkness throughout the
nights az the fear OF midnight bombs.
Among the train OF fugitives were am
balances OF the Belgian army IN which
are carried solicitiously the Germaa