Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-30
IEMBERG IN CHAOS
AS RUSSIANS TAKE
GALICIAN CAPITAL
tAustrians, Civil and Mill
tary, in Pell-mell Panic,
Offer Scant Resistance.
Peoples Pathetic Plight.
pETRoGRAD. Sept. 30.

A graphic story OF tne Iail Oh beInoers,
nopc,a and the scenes attending the
puss,an occupation of the city. has just
,sen given 10 me by an Engllshman who
hos arrived here after witnessing these
historic events.
"r am an engineer" said he, land with
a friend Of the same calling had business
IN Lenrberg. We were not molested in
.nv way until about week before the
arrival of the Russians when we were
suddenly sent for by the Austrian police,
p,oeed under arrest and conveyed to
nrson. simultaneously all our money
was confscated
1--WE we're kept in cells for four or five
days during which time absolutely no
food was given US. Fortunately we re-
ceived a small portion of drinking water
each day or the hunger strike would
have been as complete as any undergone
nv suffra gettes In the London 1ais. on
the fourth or fifth day we were released,
but we were both SO weak from lack Of
food that we could hardly stand.
Gust about the time we we're released
word was received that the Russians were
advancing upon the city, and panic broke
out. The entire Austrian administration
fed preclpitately
NO DEFENSE ATTEMPTED.
"Defense OF the city was not attempted
at ALL The Russians gave the demoral-
lied Austrian military authorities three
DAYS In which to surrender and evacuate
tho place 50 that the inhabitants would
be spared the horrors of a bombardment.
"on the third day a Russian aeroplane
made its appearance over the city watch
ing for the Austrians departure. The
Austrians fired upon the aeroplane. but
It returned apparently uninjured to the
Russian lines.
''rhen the invaders made some show of
opening bombardment. ] should say
II was only feint; at any rate. no shells
seemed to fall In the city. Surely the
Russian gunners were not such bad
marksmen as all that.
1.-THE noise of the Russian artillery was
terrific, and II scared the already panic-
stricken townspeople almost into hyster-
4 ics Thirty-ive thousand persons. some
OF them residents of Lemberg, and others
refugees from the surrounding country.
bolted helter-skelter. The large Jewish
population OF Lemberg was particularly
frightened. as the Austrians had sys-
tematically circulated shorics that the
Russians would massacre the Jews.
Families carrying few OF their most
valuable possessions fled pell-mel along
the road. Some had the advantage OF
horse carts, and few had automobiles.
Weeping children. surrounded by their
fearful mothers. rushed about wlld-eyed
with fear. Aged men and women. too
old for hasty fight. were jostlcd by the
younger refugees in the fright-fllled mob.
Bankers made their escape with all
the money belonging to other people, and
even the savings boxes OF the poor were
broken open and the money taken.
Nobody was allowed to leave by train
for Vienna unless he or she could de-
post at the railway station the sum of
hO00 kronen. which was to be returned
when the depositor reached the capital
The reason advanced for this decision
upon the part of the authorities was that
the money was required as security for
the ability of the invading traveller to
meet the enormously increased cost of
living in Vienna. Those seeking to go
to Budapest were compelled to deposit
1000 kronen. The cost of living there did
not seem to be so high.
PITIFUL STREET SIGHTS.
There were pitful sights in the
streets. notably the spectacle of Austrian
soldiers, with wounded bodies, hatless.
shoeless and in rags, begging a crust of
bread
Numbers of them belonging to the
sIavonic race got into civilian clothing
and were TO be seen carrying their uni
forms under their arms in bundles They
said they were going to burn them.
The utter disorganization of the Aus
trian military administration and the
6'ate OF chaos into which the Austrian
war commissarlat degenerated are be-
meath criticism. The Austrian army itself
proved to be disunited and an unwilling
mass OF men that fell apart In the face
OF danger. Many OF them were only too
glad to throw down their arms and sur
render When taken prisoner they fra
ternized like brothers with the Russians.
The Russian army entered Lemherg in
splendid condition. 1t was attended by
an enormous provision train, with every
requisite In abundance. The inhabitants,
especially the Ruthenian Slavs. met the
Czars soldiers with demonstrations OF
delight The Russian officers were show
ered With flowers and men and women
kissed their hands
exemplary order was Immediately es-
taolished by the Russians. soldiers being
used for police duty. The Russian COM
-1HHVl NiSlltu lne Illy ran ana uc-
ciared that he wished To cooperate with
the local authorities. This system proved
so etficacious that the Chief Deputy went
him
We ourselves were we'll treated by the
russians, who lent us money and enabled
us to travel to this city. We made the
Journey free OF all expense. first class.
with party OF Russian officers. We
were told that we would not be expected
10 pay for anything. and the Russians
were offended when We tried"