New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-20
saw Won Opel
THROTTLE PREFECT
Lille Professor Prevents
Murder of City'S
Chief Official.
MAKES REPORT TO
FRENCH MINISTER
Charges German Lieutenant of
HusSarS with Act Of
Gross Brutality.

Bordeaux. Sept. 1.-THE Minister OF
the Interior, Louis J. Malvy, announced
to-day that he had received the follow
ing sworn statement from Professor
Piquet, OF the University Of Lille,
relative TO the treatment o. Project
Trepont by Lieutenant Won 0ppci Of the
German 18th Hussars.
81 went to the prefecture as per-
sCnal hostage of the lieutenant. The
Project was seated near a tatl". us
secretary. NJ. Borromee, was seated OF
posite. Won Opel threw himself upon
the Prefect, crying: You are prepar--
ing for mobilization and throt;led
him with both hands for some time.
"a soldier, Selling Borromee by the
throat, battered his head with car
bine.
you Shall BE Shot"
"Trepont cxtricated himself and
turning upon Won Opel, said: You are
a real German officerp Won Opel, flu
rious. shouted: All right. You will be
shot lie ordered his men TO load their
Carbines and Trepont and Borromee
were thrust violently against the wall.
"The lieutenant took bandage from
his pocket mad placed it over the eyes
of Trepont, who pushed him away
Then the lieutenant returned the ban
Gage to his pocket and going back 10
the table, subjected the functionary TO
n ross-eXamination. The moment was
one of frightful anguish.
Finally, as result of my energetic
rcmonstrances, Won Opel became more
reasonable. and, turning 20 Trepont and
Borromee. said: Very well. You 60 IT,
Magdcburg. Pack your trunks"
Luneville Fined $4,000.
In report to the Minister of the
Interior, under date of September 10,
Sub-Prefect Miner of Luneville says
that town has been occupied three
weeks. More than one hundred houses
have been burned, the Sub-prefecture Is
a heap of ruins, numerous acts oil pill
LACE have been committed and a con-
tribution Of $4,000 francs (Sl3O,OOO)
in gold has been cXactcd.
During the greater part CT the oc-
cupation there has been great lack
Of provisions: No gas, electricity or
kerosene is available, and the IN
habitants are obliged to use candles
for lighting purposes. Four hostages
have been given daily to answer for The
security of the German troops.
Project BricHs of Pas-de-Calais, who
has been under restraint, reports that
during the three days occupation CT
Arras his only humiliation was NORA
.orstraint. He was informed that ne
mas not,a prisoner, but must simply
hold himself at the disposal of the
German military authorities.
The German commander asked nm
70 have all men affected by the latest
mobilization order brought to the Cita-
del. but this the project declined to
do. On receiving the projects assur-
ance that there was no money IN the
departmental treasury the othcer sa-
luted and, went away.
The railroad station and the barracks
were wrecked and the electrical plant
and the postOfiice were rendered use
less.
Throng in Cathedral.
A large crowd filed St. Andrews
Cathedral this morning at mass Tor
the success Of the allied forces. In
spite of the early hour there was not
a vacant seat in the immense building.
At the conclusion of the service ABB
bot Wetterle, of Alsace, formerly a
member of the German Reichstag, de-
livered a patriotic address. His voice
ringing clear and vibrant through the
cathedral, he declared that France Was
innocent of the crime now being COM
mitted, and that God would bring the
nation out victorious.
When the abbot finished he was
erected with much applause.
Professor Piquet's sworn statement
confirms a recent dispatch stating that
Prefect Trepont of Lille had been
threatened with death by a German
lieutenant. When the Germans en-
tered the town of Lille Professor
Piquet, who is professor of the Ger
man language and literature at the
university, accompanied the lieutenant
to the prefecture as an interpreter.