The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-09-10

dam:
II. w. Rutgers, manager of the Lou
vain water works, who escaped from
the city with his wife and two chill
dren, tells of old and young being
burned alive by the Germans, of
streets lined with slaughtered people,
and OF cellars of houses filed with
trembling innocent people who were
awakened Tuesday night by wholesale
murder and destruction.
The Dutch press is filled with awful
details Of the great crime and an over
whe1ming wave of reaction against
Germany has been created The Tele-
graf says:
Neutral or not, protest must be
made to the civilized people against
the destruction of high culture by the
German soldiers. Even if it is true
that shots were fired at the German
troops by inhabitants Of the town, the
devastation of the Oldest and noblest
university town is a revelation of bar
bar1ty, for through this destruction not
only were the inhabitants and the de-
Tending Belgians punished, but injury
was inflicted on the whole Of civilized
humanity. 1t is wound that can
never be healed"
Sees Germany's Name Shamed
Does the German empire realize
that by it's deeds it is bringing eternal
shame on the great name of Germany?
1t is to be hoped that the rubbish
heaps Of ruined cathedrals, houses,
universities and museums will be re
stored, but the history of this unhappy
town shall not be forgotten. The stain
which now defaces the escutcheon of
glorious Germania shall never be
wiped out
Story Of Another Eyewitness.
A Dutch resident Of Louvain who
was a salesman in bicycle store
says: AT midday on Tuesday there
was fearful uproar in the streets
while we were at dinner. The crackle
OF musketry was soon followed by the
roar Of artillery. Hearing shrieks in
the streets l rushed to the window and
| saw several houses in flames. Soldiers
were smashing shop windows and loot
ing in all directions. One had an arm
full Of groceries and others stocked uI
with boxes of cigars. AS the people
rushed into the streets from their
burning houses they were shot down
like rabbits
/ The Dutchman told how he had hid
den with his employers in the cellar
The shooting became more brisk after
nightfal1. Presently they found theil
own house blazing and had to choose
between making dash for their live:
or roasting.
Bodies Thick in the Streets.
They had escaped by representing
themselves as Germans, and knowl
edge Of the German language enabled
them to carry out the impersonation
They were conducted to the railwa.
station by German soldiers. The sales
man continues:
Our walk through the streets to tn
railway station was like wall
through hell. The beautiful town wa
a sea of flames. Bodies of the dea
lay thick in the streets. Dreadful
cries came from many houses. w
reached the railway station at 5 3
o'clock in the morning. The soldier
were still going about the streets wit
lighted brands and explosives in thei
hands, setting alight any building
that remained intact. In the parks the
had already begun to bury the dead
In many cases in the shallow grave
in the large park each body was vi:
ible.
Citizens Lined Up and Shot.
cat the railway station were so cit
zens, men and women, who had bee
brought from houses from which so
diers swore shots had been fired. The
were lined up in the streets, protes
were innocent. Then came a firm
squad, and volley followed volley, an
, the SO fell dead where they stood"
This incident was confirmed by
{ Dutch journalist, who says that sc
citizens were ranged at the station
/ and a tenth part were ordered sho
Sacked by Germans.
5 London-The Morning Posts corr
spondent at Terneuzed, Holland, tel
f that many residents of that histor
! Belgian city were killed.
z 'Louvain," he says, was sacke
/ Wednesday night by Germans. Tt
: greater part of the population We
e massacred, including women, childre
a and clergy. Their nationality did III
save one English and one America
clergyman. All the noble public bull
ings, including the town hall, libral
1 and university were destroyed.
I That is the tale Of horror disclose
! at Malines by fleeing refugees and co
firmed by the correspondent and
escaped notables from the destroye
city The atrocity seems incredibl
a but it Is believed here.
Germans Fire on Germans.
What seems to have happened
} that the German army, defeated