davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
Positions Of SupplicnfiOs.

Numerous corpscs o. peasants We're
found in positions OF suppiicaton. arms
lifted and hands folded IN prayer. The
Belgian Consul to Uganda. vino mad
entered the Belgian army as a volunteer,
reports that everywhere where tho Ger
mans had passed through the country was
devastated. Tho few Inhabitants who r.
NAMED IN the villages told OF horrors
committed by the enemy.
Everywhere there was ruin and devas-
tatlon. At Bulciser numerous !nhab-
tanis. including the priest. man more
than 80 years old, were killed.
Between Inpde and Walverthem two
wounded Hclglan soldiers were lying near
n house which was burlng. The Germans
threw these two unfortunate men into
tho raging fire.
The German troops, rcpulSed by our
soldiers. entered Louvuiu In full panr,
Narlou, witnesses assure us that Al that
moment the German garrison occupying
1,ouyaln was advised crroneJu'!y that tho
enemy was entering Tho town.
Immediately the German garrison with
drew toward the station, wnerc IL me,
with the German troops that had been re-
pulsed and pursued by the Belgian troops
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
Surprised In Cellars.

Numerous corpse. e. civilians covered
the streets and squares On the route
from Louvain to Tlrelemont alon. one
witness testihes having seen more than
fifty Of them. ON She thresholds Of houses
Were found burnt corpses of people Who.
surprised In their cellars 10y .he irr, had
;ricd 10 escape and fsn into the heap OF
live cmoHr'. Tho suburbs of I,ouva.n
have been completely pnnihiiated.
\ group ~ seyenty-Gyr persons ans rg
WHOM, We're several notables OF the city.
su'N a. Father Coloboet ana 4 Spanish
priest. ard also an American priest, were
conducted during tho morning OF Wcdnes-
uay. ->ueust -, to tho square in front
o. the station. Tho men were brrtally
separated from their wives and children
nud after having received the most
,iounna1lo treatment ana after repeated
threats o: being shot they we're driven
% front oi the German troops De far na
the village OF Campenhout
Thuy We're locked in the church during
the n.Eh. TIE following day az : o'clock
80 German o1'cer came TO inform then,
tna' they might all confess ard save them
selves and that they would be shot half
an hour later.
but g.: hal: past o'clock they were
allowed 10 20 ana shorty afterv-.rd they
were again arrested by Il German brigade.
which forced them to march in front OF
them to Maiircs. Answering question
on She part Of one Of tho prisoners a
German officer told them that they were
going to TASTE some of the Belgian grape
shp. before Antwerp. At last they were
liberated on Thursday afternoon At tho
entrance Of Mallnes.
Further testimony SHOWS that several
thousand male Inhabitants Of Louvain
who had escaped tho shooting and burn
Ing were sent toward Germany We do
not At TINS writing know for what pur-
plsc.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

-. !, - -, -, -. -, . -
~ 'S ''' '''-'' ''' ~
'''''s VIM ..''''"E "u" '"'"E'n an"
~ '''' ,"h'"s WI" '''"'
a' "'e '''''" '''"' ''''''' VI ''b '''e'''
'"e'"
~ ~ 's''''~ ''o'''.H, o. .,-s - -"
80, va "V.'''' 90, ,, 800,
80 Az "''" '''
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

Numerous depositions reveal that IN
their march. and even IN their attacks.
tho Germans put before them civilians.
mel and woman, In order to proven.
our soldiers from firing. Otht1 testl-
mony proves that German detachmen:s
do not hesitate to ny cther white Gag
or the He'd Cross flag so as to approach
our troops without bo,ng suspected.
Or the other hand they .rc on our
ambuiances and III treat our ambulance
nurses, They Ill treat and even kill our
wounded, Clergymen seem 20 be par
ticularly the objec. OF their attacks
Last, but not least. we nave IN our pos
session explosive bullets left behind them
by the enemy nj Wechter. and We ar.
also IN receipt OF medical certificates
testifying that the wounds must have
heen inflicted by bullets OF the variety
mentioned above.
Documents and testimonials In sup
pol7 Of these facts will be published.
ERNEST DE BUSswYK.
cRTs Secretaries
CooREMAN. Presioen.
COUNT GOBLET D'Al.VIElIA.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

could take. breaking furniture and forcing
safes The following dav tbcy lined nm
tbrc, l,y thre,-tn. ,tllagcrs whom, they
had arrested IN. day before. taking III
man out OF each llro. These they led To
"a distance NJ nb,ut 100 METERS IRON, tho
town tatinr Win thrn, ~. uu-pounster
~ I'm, ,ovn NJ T,.l-n,rs ana his son
a,-d III y,,rs ar5 hIs hro.hcr and shot
-,
.I,., , ,,.,. r...,I .,, -.,,,,,,., 10,
,.,,,a,,,s 80 Az r,,,., h,,r,. iii ,i,.
go
.,1., ... ...t,,.,.. .,.,.., .t,,.. ..,,.,,.,,,,,
., ~, ~ ,,,..n, a.,
w. anu '' "'' - '''"s -
ssh, ,.o ,..,.,,...,... ,..-.,..,
NooI' w. mn" '''n''.S VI e''''u' '''
sop .y', 10 nav o''I 'tus "'aSSA.'eu,
i"e tt'sts' Psr' " ,uc ny - 'o."uE
I ues'roEed' XIV" times INC vel mans t'i'u
| 70 SCI nr' 10 me lArsc 'hu''." 'nu n
terror ~ "nIHn hah pe"h sacked INC
/ rccoI"S % inc low" nave nee" '"r''eu
AVA.
The ambulance attendants. athouSh
wearing tns Red cross badge, were not
respected. One of them reports that
German troops fired upon him while he
was coleci!ng the wounded and that they
continued TO fire even though ii" displayed
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
TERRIBLE CRIMES AT
LOUVAIN, SAYS REPORT

Attached 20 the formal document pre-
scented by the commissioners Is the follow
ing report made by special BOARD 10 the
Belgian Government, dealing particularly
with the alleged horrors in the Louvan
district
ANrvERP, August 81, 1914.
To THE MINISTER OF JUsTIcE-Sir: The
commission of inquiry bcgs to make the
following report on tho deeds of which the
city nf Louvan and the surrounding To-
ca!ities and the vicinity OF Malines have
been the theatre:
The German army penetrated into Lou
vain on Wednesday, August 10, after hav-
inr set fire TO the towns through which It
had passed.
From the morueu, OF their entrance Tito
the city OF I.ouvaln the Germans requisi-
toned lodgings and victuais for their
troops They entered every private bank
Of the city and took over the bank bal
Ances. The German soldiers broke the
doors OF houses abandoned by their in
hsbitants pillagcd them and INDUCED in
orgies.
The German authorities tool, hostage. +:
tha Mayor ot the city. S'nator Wander
Kelni, the vice-rcctor OF the Catholic tnl-
versity, the dean OF tho city. Magistrates
and Aldermen were also detained. An
arms down TO fencing foIls had h'en
handed over 10 the town administration
and deposited by the said authorities in
tho Church of ST. Peter.
On August - and 20 Belgian troops
,.av.ns tho 'rtrenched camp IN Antwerp
attacked tho German army which was
outside OF Malines.
The German troops wero driven back
as far as Louvain and Vilvorde.
Penetrating the towns which had been
occupied by the enemy the Belgian army
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
Hack ed with swords.

.. On Monday. AugIst .. at Orslnael the
Germans picked UP Commandant KNAPP
pen, very serious!: wounded. propped
him against a tree and shot him. Finally
they hacked his corpse with swords.
6. In different places. notably 1T
Hclonse-sur-t;ee-. az Barchon. at Pom.
tisse, NJ Hselen, ut zellS. German troops
have frcd on doctors. nurses, ambulances
and ambulance wagons.
Z. Numerous wounded soldiers dis
armed and unable to defend themselves
have been Iii treated or killed by certain
German soldiers. The inquiry brings forth
new facts OF this kind every day.
8. At Bonc.lies a body OF German
troops went INTO battle carrying Bel
CLAN nag.
Q. on Thursday. August 6, before
Fort Lege, German soldiers continued to
Are on a party OF Belgian soldiers who
ware unarmed and had been surrounded
while digging a trench. after these had
holsied the white flag
10. on Thursday, August 6. at Woo
TEN. near the fort OF Loncin, a group ot
German infantry ho!s:cd the white flag
When Belgian soldiers approached 10 take
them prisoners tho Germans suddenly
opened flre on them a. close range
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

been unable 20 obtain any uforIna ion &C.
garding the fate oi the Burgomastei %
Louvain, not rega riding the prominent per-
sons taken tor hostages.
Bv facts which have thus far been
brought Co. It's attention the commission
reaches the following conclusions.
In tnat war German occupation OF ter.
ritory II systematically followed by tarA
IS AZ tines preceded ard acconlpanI,.I b.
acts of violence against the clvii popula-
;ioi, which acts OF violence att contrary
20 the conventional laws of war and to
TIE most elementary principles Of hui
Inanity.
Tie procedure of til, Gsrniuns is every
NAer" the same. They advance along the
roads shooting !noffensvo psssersby. par
ticuiarly cyclists and even peasants occu-
pied in the fleldH which she Germans
traverse.
In tho towns ana villages where they
stop the Germans first of all reouisi:lon
victuals and drinks which they consume 10
the point OF drunkenness. then they begin
to shoot wildly. sometimes from the In
terror OF crnpty houses. declaring that the
inhabitants have Aired the shots.
II IL then that the firing scenes begin
and murder and especially piliPg". socorn-
panied by acts of cold cruelty. Sc; III. acts
which respect neither sex uor agc.
Even whcr, they claim to Know the par-
pe;gator OF the deeds which they allege
they do not content themselves with .x-
ecuting the culprits summarily hut take
advantage OF IN. occasion to decimate the
population. {" piliage Nil the Inhabitants
and 70 set fire To them
After a first massacre, sonewha; NJ
random. tho" shut the men Into the
church OF tho t"Tr. ana ordered all
wome- 70 81 back 70 the houses and
leave the Coors open during the night
III several localities The civil popula-
tion haR been sent 10 Germany. TO bo
compelled there. II appears to labor 'r
the fields. as was done IN tn. slave days
OF olden times. Numerous cases are
known where tho inha nitants we're forced
10 serve 10 guides and ~ make trenche.
Cor .he Germans.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
Nsny villagers CrRsed.

The ire continued .or sc' erai days.
An eyewitness. WHO Oh August so ics;
Louvain describes the state OF the city
rs follows: Prom Weert 81. Georges"
nee says, 81 have met nothing except
burned towns ana cra2ed villages, lifting
to each corner their whito aag. even from
those that had been So, on Are, and rags
OF them were found hanging from tho
ruins.
AT Weert ~. George I inquired from
thu Inhabitants tho cause of the Ger
man reprisals. They all assured me that
absolutely none of the inhabitants had
nred. that all arms had been previously
given up and that tho Germans had
taken vengeance on the population be-
cause a Belgian soldier OF the Cen
ds-me Corps had killed Uhlan.
Tie population which remained in
Louvair tooll refuge in the suburb OF
TiNverlo, where they are all piled up the
y pulation having s~en driven from the
town by the troops and by the Are.
The fire IN Louvain began o. little
above the American College and the city
Is entirely destroyed with the exception %:
the Town Hall ,Hotel do Ville) and the
depot.
"T'-day tho fro continued and the
Gcrmans---far from trying TO stop it
seem rather TO maintain Il by throw
Ing straw into the tire. as I have myself
seen In the streets behind the H.,cl dc
Vile. The Cathedral and the theatres
have been destroyed and have fallen In,
also the library. Tho town resembles
nm old city IN ruins, in the mids, OF
winch drunken soldiers are circulating.
carrying bottles oc vine and iIouor: the
officers themselves being Installed In arm
chairs sitting around tables and drinking
lko their own men.
"In the streets dead horses are de-
caying. horses which are already in.
dated aud the smell OF the fire and OF the
docaying animals IL such that II has fol-
lowed me for long time"
| The commission up to this writing has
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
SYSTEMATIC PILLAGE.
SAY CABLE MESSAGES

Tho commissions statement adds thai
since collecting tho ubovs testimony th.
following cable dispatches regarding Tia.
sarn" subject have been received from the
Minister Of Foreign Affairs Of Belgium
Gable dated September y,
"'YOu have received the r,portt Of ..t,
commission of Augtst % and II Sip.,
then a great many localities. situated m
n" Nilvorde- Malines- bcuvan triangle. an
extremely fertile and donsoly pupuiat. d
district, have been partially p'nlg,d .nd
destroyed by FIRE. Their ,nhan,tlLts have
fed while number or them. among
others women and children. were arrcs'cu
and sho' withou. trial, and without ap-
parent reason except To inspire thc p5pu.
alton with terror.
"'TMs wns douc ia Scmps'. wcordc.
Elcwyt, fotst1dc. W.spciaer. lvilsc.e
Burhcn. Bppcghcm, Ioutohm. Tremoloo.
T.stelt Gelrodt ana Hercut
~. Wavro whore the population was
urabla - pay q lcv- OF s3ooo COZ. INV
six houses were set arrc The lar,-rd
part az Gort,nhurg Is burned. To excuse
these attacks ;hc Germans allcge that
an army %. civilians resisted them.
"'Accord.nE 20 trus'vorthy testimony
no provocation can he proven At via.
Aersfp t bouvHjn Wtvrc and IN other
localities situated IN "a" Malnes- T.otiyain-
N,lvordc district. whcr, flro was ,et and
massacres committed several days after
tho German occupation
And under date ~ Septenber I, m
other cable message says:
Inform the B"gian commission that
the 49, .sca committee on inquiry con
tnuss 90 report ruins and deVastations
ana pillaEc, Systematically ordered Nv
German troops Ia the towns invested nv
them. The city " Thernondc was de.
stroyed without any hostile participation
on the part Of tho civilian population
out Of l.40O houses only e95 remain stand
Ing others were destroyed by Are and
RACED from the ground after the Ger
mans entered the city.
Several civilians were imprisoned and
executed with bayoncts ~ the presence
OF their relatives and fellow citizens In
Nellie min" civilians were killed and forty
FIVE properties destroyed without any rea-
son. The reoccupatiou of Acrschot BY the
Belgian army reveals disastrous deeds
Dwellings which were not destroyed by
fire were completely sacl~d and pillag ed
, on September 8 before the return Of the
Belgian troops.
-Four hundred civilians. among them
thirty cl,rgymen were locked since 40
! gust 30 in the church. without food car
I RED OF and sent TO destinations unknown.
! Localities In the na'ghbOrhood are com
, p.etcly destroyed; everywhere along The
! road are corpsrs. Women and Young
| girls were outraged. Systematic pi!laGe"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

:. During the u gilt OF AYguh; 10
German cavalry entered Vein, In g.ea.
numbers; the inhabitants were asleep.
The Germans, withou. provocation. a-ed on
M. Deglimnle-Gcver's nous. broke ir.o
Il. destroyed furniture. looted money.
burned barns hay. corn stacks. farm
implements. SIX oxen and the contents
OF the tar;nya,d.
They carried OH Nine. D,rl.mmr hail
raked. 10 . place two mile. away. She
vas then lie: 60 and fired upon as size i.oI
without being hi. Her husband wa.
carried away in another direction and
fred upon he Is dying. The same troops
sacked and burned the house OF a railway
Waterman.
.. Farmer Je: D:erchx o. Neerhespen
bears Witness 20 the following acts o.
cruelty committed by German cavalry
at orsmael and Neeriespen on August
10. II and IL: An old mna o? tho
latter village had his arm sliced IN three
longitudinal cuts. he was then hanged
head downward and burned alive.
Young girls nave been raped and utsie
children outraged ut Orslnael. where
several inhabitants suffered nultiiatlons
! too horrible - describe. 4 belgian
soldier belonging TO battalion of cycllst
csrb' neovs, Who had been wounded and
made prisoner. was bound 20 telegraph
pole on the -. TroEd road and shot.
!. on Wednesday. august II. after an
enlargement . IIael.n, Commandment Van
Damne co severely wounded that he was
| .y!ns prone Oh his baclt. Was ;lnaiiy mur.
dered by German !nfantr,'mcn firing
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

This photograph depicts better
than words The ruin tina, followed
the German occupation of I.ouvain.
one of Belgium's most beautiful and
renowned cities. the sscltiua of which
brought forth some q! tho strong ST
charges OF wan:on destruct.ycn.s
ana brutality ,U tia pro;c>, pres MED
yesterday 10y tn belgian commits
sioners To President wilson. Above
IS shown to ;hc right 'he famous
Hotel dc Vile. one OF the arch,,.r-
tural wonders of Europe. Il escaped
almost unchanged. The ruins Of the
Cath.d rai of 81. Peter. OF which only
the walls sand. are in the centre:
20 the RICH; !, the wr-cAas, of soy
cral historic Flemish buildings The
University Halls and the famous IL
brary We're destroyed
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
OFFICIAL REPORT or
BELGIAN COMMISSION

l. German cavalry occupying tho VII.
lage OF 1.insmeau were attacked b,. Some
Belgian Infantry and two gendarlnes. 4
German officer was killed by our troops
during ihe fight. and subsequently buried
at the request OF tho Belgian officer IN
command. None OF the civilian pop,,Ia-
ton took part in the flght!ns a; t.rsnieail.
Nevertheless the village was invaded n.
dusk. August 70. By strong fo-ce @.
German cavalry, ARTILLERY aad machine
sins In spite % fotna; assurances g4ve,
by the oureona ster that none OF ;ha
peasants had taken par in Tho previous
fighting Two farms and tiN outlying
houses were destroyed by gun IRE and
burned All the maze population ,v..s
then compelled 20 come forward and han,
over whatever arria they possessed. No
recently discharged firearms were found.
The invaders divided these peasants
into three groups. Those IN one grov,
we're bound and eleven Of them placed in
ditch. where they were afterwari
found. their skulls fractured by tho butts
OF German rifles.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
FRANCE WATTS On WILSON
Much Interest IN bordeaux over
sabtcHrpns on Atrocities.

iSoEDEArV. Sept 10 There is much
expectancy her, as tu now rr' -ideri vii
son VIII handle "a, a.tOiegrgms from tn,
Kaiser and President loiucarr.
a paragraph is going IN" rounds % thu
Bordeaux press with quotations from
THE suns rcc"u; editorials reEagding
the alleged Belgian atrocitics. and ask
ing why such atrocities should coincid,
with the presence o. the Eais..'s troop.
~ Belgium.
The opinion ia generally expressed tina
Emperor Williams protest VIII nave i.c..
effect Ju the American people.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
President Told of Alleged
War Horrors at Louvai,,

honored that you should have chosen us
as tho friends before whom you could
lay any matter Of vital consequence 70
yourselves in the confidence that your
course would BIO understood and met in
the same spirit in which It was conceived
ard Intended"
The rleetins OF the Belgian commits.
s.oners with the Presiden. was entirely
formal and was confined 10 the cornmun,.
cations read by the Begiars and tho
President and a br!e' exchange Of cour-
tesles
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
suffered From Violence.

T. s,uso1uencos uttered by tho Bel
aan tom wsre not confined purely TO
ne % tm oJris oued by the forced march
H. an Invading army This army 10, only
,siEci rr,o, portion of our territory but
committed Incredible acts 81 violence
ne r4tur, ~ which is contrary 10 the
-ifs @. mankind.
"V. D.. ,u, Inhabitants were massacred.
d,f,r.,'as- "ou.n md children were out
'rssd open aud undefruded towns were
,-Sroy.I historical and religious monu-
nvi,s V.e reduced To- dust and tho
mous library OF the University OF Lou
Nain was gwen TO thu names.
"ou- go, erumeut has appointed judi
al ecmWiii". 20 make an official investi-
.,1;'sn 20 les 20 thoroughly and iInpar.ially
xan1e the facts and to determine tn
,,7oaslr.l'y therefor. ana ! will nave the
.Jlor, ENreilcncy. 20 hand over TO you
go proceedings OF this inquiry.
~ his frirhtiul holocaus. which IS
a sp.9g al over Europe the United
state, has adopted neutral attitude.
And - j. for this reason thai your
country. standing apart from either one OF
Doe n-uscraus l. ia tho best position
. Judge without. bias ald partially The
ondtiaas ulicr which the war Is being
TAGGED
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

r, RcI'au commission, beaded by
,..r.,te, og Justice Carton de Wharf. wa.
..d DO; ~. white House az 2:it O'Clock
..r ie,.ro'n. They we're accompanied
.. Secretary Bryan and H. Hav,n.th. the
u.,yu1 Mustor. Nj de Wharf, as the
..o.e.uup for N" rcprcs cntativos OF the
t.rlr Eiue. delivered the following ad-
.-,.- - tha President.
"r, cheney His MAJESTY the King Of
O.. R,Isi.ns las charged us with a special
.--s. ., ;ne President of the United
...,,.
"i.r' u. cay 20 you how much We feel
..r..iya. houcrod TO have been called to
.,rr..s li. sentiments OF our King and
.t our Whole nation to the illustrious
.5tesman whom tho American people
w. called 20 Tho highest dignity of the
Commonwealth
~. f,- ~ 7 am concerned. 7 have al
.,,dy boon able. during previous trip.
. suU, tpp.,.idt' the noble virtues Of
.. American nation. and | am happy to
'c .i.t opportunity to express the au-
rauc" v.-h which they Inspired me.
"I..r .a-e hey Independence was fi-s;
... ,5tshcd Belgium has been declared
,sUrG iu pe"pctuity. This neutrality.
.Iarar'-.u by the Powers has recently
...n violated b; one Of them. Had NO
.,,.,~'.d 90 abandon car neutrality for
.aa benefit ot ore ~ the bclligeren,s, We
could have betrayed our obligations
toward tho others and i; was the sense OF
err International obi cations. AZ well as
"a. o. our dignity and hoho., that has
driven us to resistance.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

tH'." fire srenades which seem TO have
boon provided 'or the occasion. Tho
larger pat u IL, city % Louviin, os-
pcr.ally the Quarters u the villa
Htr;e." comprising ;H' nlodert houses.
tn" Cathedral %: - Peter. the un.v-r-
s.t. halls. ~. ;Hc vho." library OF the
university. Us manuscripts IS cJliec-
tion-. :u. largest par: Of the scientific Ia
situations aud the ;3au theatres, were AZ
the momeHt being consumed by flames.
Tho commission deems Il necessary. In
the midst " these horrors, to insist or
the crime OF lc5e-humonity wnicn the de-
hacrlt, aUn.Liiatiou Of az academic
iibrIry--a library w.oi was one of the
trea suIc- @: our ,irlo- constitute.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17

ing during tile day Of August 80 by soven-
tee ncavalrymen who had penetrated INTO
tho village. \ young woman of IL wears
was killed by a bullet
'ERNEsT pE EUNswYcN
Secretary of the Commission
"CooRgMAN Prrsiopn."
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-17
Secretary bryan Present.
tot'itr,d from Pi7d Page.

,t.son incorporated verbatim IN his re-.
~, IN 'lc Be'gian commissioners.