Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-18

zons, set fire to private houses and
sacked them. They wanted to make the
victimized citizens declare that they,
themselves, had set fire TO their own
homes, Everywhere along the road of the
German march the same horrors were Wis
lille. The witness mentions the names of
eighteen persons. to his knowledge, who
were massacred at Aerschot.
The destruction of Louvain: The Ger
man army penetrated into Louvain after
having set fire to the surrounding towns
and villages soc ~-,
Loot Banks.
From the moment of their entrance
into the city they requisltloned lodging
and food for their troops. They entered
every private bank and looted its reserve
They entered private residences and
sacked and pillaged them, and INDUCED
in orgies of all kinds. .'. ..-.
They took hostages: all the prominent
men OF the city were detained. Women
and children were outraged and III treated
by the soldiers.
Previous to the German invasion the
whole city had been warned repeatedly
not to offer any resistance to the German
troops or to oppose hostile acts. More
than that, all arms belonging TO civilians,
down to fencing foils. had been ordered
deposited several days previously in the
city hail. and there was not a weapon
found on any civilian.
Germans Retreat.
On August % an engagement took
place in the neighborhood of Louvain be-
tween German and Belgian troops. The
Germans, repuised and pursued by the
Belgian troops, retreated toward Louvain
In full panic. Many witnesses testify that
at mat moment the German garrison in
Louvain was enormously informed that
Belgisns we're entering the city.
Immediately the German garrison sta
toned at Louvain withdrew to the sta
ton, where they clashed with their own
troops which were being pursued by the
beisians' Everything seems to point 10
| the fact that contact took place.
FROM that moment. pretending that
the belgian civilians had fired upon Ger
man troops, the Germans began bonn
Dardlng the city and kept up their bonn
oardment until 10 o'clock that night. At
the place where the affray started not a
single body was found of a civilian, prov
Ing that the population had not partlci-
pated in the shooting.
Fired by Rockets.
THE houses which had not taken fire
were set abiaze by rockets with which
the German soldiers were supplied The
largest part of the city Of Louvain, es-
| peciaily the haute VILE, that is to say,
the part comprising the modern houses.
the cathedral OF ST. Peter. the university
nails with the old and famous library
OF the university, its manuscripts, its col
lections and scientific institutions, the
theater and many more buildings were
/ at that time consumed by flames.
The fire continued for several DAVIS
Numerous eorpses Of civilians covered the
streets and squares. An eyewitness
testified that in one place he counted
more than fifty charred bodies many
persons who had taken refuge In their
cellars trying TO escape and falling into
the furnace. of the blazing city.
The fire started a little above the
American college; the city is entirely de-
stroyed with the exception OF the city
hall and the station. The fire continued
for days. and far from trying to stop
1t, the Germans seemed on the contrary
trying to feed it by throwing straw into
It. The cathedral and the theater were
consumed by the flames and fen into
ruins. The library of the university also
Is destroyed. The town resembles an old
| city In ruins in the midst OF which
drunken soldiers were carousing, carrying
around bottles Of wine and nquors-the
officers themselves were installed in arm
chairs. drinking like their own men.
The procedure OF the Germans seems
to be the same everywhere-first Of all
they requisition food and drink OF which
they partake to the point Of drunkenness.