El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-24
CAPTURING Of
BRUSSELS EASY
Englishman Tells How Ger
mans Surrounded Belgian
Capital and Seized 1t.

Ostend. Belgium, Sept 24--The story
Of the taking Of Brussels the Belgian
capital. by the Germans, was told today
by Alfred Wilson, Of Leeds Eng ne
TO essay an escape from Brussels
TO run straight towards "a German Dal-
terry. to be fired upon by Gsl II. ~ !,
patrol. TO find my path crossed oy an an
arnOred rrain-theSe are some "a 1-iS
experiences which betel me
MY wife and children went 10 Ems
land some time ago, and as there was
no business in Brussels, declceu 10
follow. Nv premises and my VITA were
an locked up and I left the capital anu
walked towards Grinbergen, Whlch les
TO the left Of FilvOrde- i ran liito 4
German column carrying nuL l- .l1li5
and at that moment motor car ruslleu
along Germans popped up from eNel
where and challenged the orlNeI -
stop. and in the confusion oar Gu
into a field on my right and made To-
wards a belt Of trees
rifle fire far beyond the trees ana
then 10 my establishment 1 saw lhe
flash Of artillery from the trees JneIn-
selves This was followed py a seSoL-u
flash at another point and then con
+frr0rs flashes From their cOnceaL-
.TreDr the guns were apparently being
trained TO the west Of NllFOrde- anu
I saw an observation balloon Just over
the belt of trees II was sausage SNAPPED
and was fitted with wireless
Fired Upon by Guards:
ct returned towards the road ana al
100 yards distance ] was called upon
to halt by party or Germans VIM
iwuedfa-ely discharged revolyers at
me. The bullets sang about me, ana IN
:. crouching position, ] reached a clus-
Ter Of houses. There the peasants lolu
me that fighting was proceeding To-
wards VilvOrde fand that a mass
German soldiers, which had dlScoN-
cred in my wanderlngs III the LleIl'
were strongly entrenched-
q realized that it was Impossible
for me TO get out OF Brussels py thal
route and very cautiously i Ilaue NY
way back to the town In the course
Of doing so. I had to cross the railway
and 7 saw a heavily armored tram
rumble by There were two or three
steel plated coaches in front OF the
engine and two behind and IL looked a
sand We're piled against the sides Of
the coaches, which were filled with
soldiers
Makes second Attempt.
"On the following day 7 made sec
ond attempt to e. cape from Brussels
but this time by a different road
was accompanied by two IrlendS, ana
by great good luck we fell in with
potato merchant who offered US seats
in the two carts in which he had just
delivered five tons Of potatoes to the
cauitaL He took US as far as AaSche,
and on the road we picked up a couple
Of soldiers who told US that they mad
escaped from Namur. They were IN an
exhausted condition OF their military
equipment all that they retained were
the trousers. They wore civilian caps
and coats. much the worse for wear
which they had cOntrived TO borrow,
and they had no shirts
Namur Forts betrayed
They declared that the forts at Ma
muir had been betrayed TO the enemy,
and. although We doubted their state
ments when we reached Aasche and
entered a tram. there we met another
soldier who also had come from Namur
and who repeated the same story
When I quilted Brussels the town
was very 0uier-a condition largely
due TO the exertiOns Of the burgOmaster.
who posted up notices everywhere
urging citizens TO be 'tranquille-
There are only about 5000 German
troops in the city. and the new gov
ernOr is never seen in the streets. but
he has caused notices 10 be exhibited.
in positions where they cannot be torn
down. TO the effect that If the troops
are in any way interfered with, or If
a citizen is guilty Of a misdemeanor
towards the new regime, the most rig
orOus penalties viii be enforced. not
only upon the individual but upon the
whole quarter in which II occurs.
Chairs and tables in front OF the cafes
on the boulevards are prohibited, and
no liquor must be sold after the cafes
are closed at o'clock
News bulletins recording nothing
but victory for the Germans and moth
ing but disaster and defeat for the al
lies are also posted on the walls In
the absence Of other sources Of lnfOr-
nation, since the German occupation,
however. the attitude Of the citizens is
one Of scepticism.
Schools Turned Into Barracks.
''The soldiers are stationed all over
Brussels. and they move freely among
the pOpulace, many OF whom stand and
watch them for hours together. They
have turned the Care du NOrd into
stables and the picture palaces and
schools and public buildings. with the
exception Of the Palais de Justice into
barracks. Practically all the food sup
ply is appropriated to them. and the re-
suit is a scarcity Of milk, butter, yeast
and eggs.
But generally speaking. their be-
hayiOr has been above reprOach. For
four days they were passing through.
and although they appeared to be
fatisued. il must be remembered that
they had marched many miles They
certainly did not walk through with
the goose step" nor were they inso-
lent TO the citizens, who watched them
as they marched.
What struck most Of us was the ex-
Gellence Of their equipment and the
good physical standard of most Of the
men Their field kitchens as they went
by were smoking in preparation Of the
meals When brief stoppages occurred.
the citizens gave them cigarets and
cigars and chocolate and they smiled
their thanks for these small gifts.
Whole companies OF the soldiers
sang, but in a listless tune, and one sad
refrain that was very popular. II de-
pressing to listen TO. It was translated
roughly for me by a friend familiar
with the language. as:
Where is my darling,
Where is ny love-
She is far. far away,
Shall ] ever see her moreT
That plaintive tune, together with
the bearing Of the men, left with me
the impression that their hearts are not
In the fighting"
Circus EOers call 40 or 382 for
quick automobile service.-AdE.