The Detroit times., 1914-09-19
Eary Boyle NO'Reilly, Eye Wit
ness, Confirms Story of Sack
and Rapine in Famous Old
Belgian City
Avs EVIDENCE SHOWS
ATTACK UNPROVOKED
khabitants Slaughtered to Cow
er Officers Blunder in Firing
on Own Men
D. MARY BOYLE oRElLLY.

BY MARY BOYLE OHEiILS.
THE HAGUE. Sept 5, 1s14.-(By
III to New York.)-Two days after
b Prussian commander decreed the
|struction of Louvain, five American
hrnalists were stalled for hours IN
> railway station OF that city. A
busand wildly excited Uhlans crowd
| the great platforms. A camp COM
|ssary slaughtered an OK under our
i windows. A firing squad marched
|pmed men down the tracks to exc
lion.
C was the very crater of war!
Prisoners on q troop train, we i've
tched the flames overwhelm the
toric town. A prisoner. was sent
Holland. But l knew there was q
hid story at Louvain and deter
he'd to 70 back. An accommodating
|rmau consul at Maestrict gave me
bass. not knowing that / was an
kerican newspaper woman.
/ ok Amid the Ruins OF Louvain.
thirty hours later sat amid the
|ns OF Louvain. On Saturday, Aug.
the south ward was still standing.
rth. east and west stretched miles
[desolation.
Bpires and pinnacles yet unfallen
bwered down sparks. From the
! roof OF two squat church towers
Esrpshooters watched the deserted
|eets.
bn the central grass Of the boule-
I'd 80 bodies lay as they had fallen.
wen were the bodies Of women,
4 showed gray hair, all were shot
|bayoneted, the clothing OF nine was
Liceably slashed from behind.
Dther bodies were said to be lying
1.-THE Place de la Station. These I
not see, the capital place being
military post. But did see what
med to be a bundle Of rags
&nged to pillar box, the body of a
man being fired by petroleum.
atchina the Work Of Destruction.
Through the sunlit, deserted streets
'uting parties Of three men marched
least on patrol This was In the
trict not yet destroyed, and ]
kched the work with awful fascina-
y. Sometimes the three paused to
Srinto q cellar window. to confer
Ia rifles cooked and to fire a test
ley into the dark.
Behind them came the raiders,
)xed soldiers OF the Ninth army
ps. First the scouts, slim. dapper
a in civilian clothes, their faces
Ictically masked by motor goggles.
|eh scout carried a small note book
! q piece OF chalk. Consulting his
moranda, he selected certain
Rses, inscribing upon them bon
As" (good people), Germans" or
Ions schenon' (spare the house,.
The scouts passed on. Files OF 20
HERS lined UP in chosen streets.
|ch man was told OF to doorway.
|kruff word from the pavement and
1 axes broke open 20 unprotected
mes. The sappers knew their
". Everything useful to the army
st be carried quickly to waiting
ts. What remained must be
med.
How the Burning Was Done.
again they lined up. Prussian on
b, men from gentle homes, educat-
and refined, but under orders,
bde up to inspect the result. Every
J was smokinf-some played with
brd hilt or mustache. From them
ne the final orders. At a word
kh sapper seized a bomb and a box
petroleum. ran to a doomed house,
ced the bomb. sprinkled the coal
and dashed out to watch the re-
Thus proceeded, street after street,
this great war crime.
On Aug. 26, "a; 2S and 20 the growl
battering gun fire and the roar of
mes was incessant In Louvain, and
IN American woman. armed only
n German vice-consurs pass, in
GENTLY obtained In Holland, sat In
motor car watching war, as twen-
Nh century civilization applies IT.
The burning of Louvain by the
nth German army corps. held the
cination OF horror. From a spec
lie. TO which the modern world Of
, no parallel. turned TO consult a
IuRee, a professor OF this lost uni
fsity city. He is a Catholic priest.
ID OF the 40 who owe their liberty.
not their lives, to Brand whitlock,
\ American minister. who demand
from a Prussian military governor
II Continues On Pare Eievenp.
WAYNE HOTEL GARDENS
Ffns Caharet ADV.