Evening star., 1914-08-23
GERMAN AEROS LIGHT
BELGIAN BATTLEFIELD
Hurls Burning Placquea on Camp
and Artillery Routs the Sur
prised Enemy.
snec,.I rnrr.e,opde.ee At The star.

LONDON, August 22.-The Daily Nails
correspondent, J. N. N. Jefries, cables
from Ostend under date Of August 81:
Il set out from Brussels Wednesday
for what intended as Q short run into
Dutch territory, and am only just back.
In Belgium and in Holland conditions
are absolutely those Of war. and l had
the interesting experience Of be.ng taken
blindfoIded into q fortress in the dead
Of night under an armed guard to justi-
fy If possible my presence.
Brussels is in the hands Of Germans,
and patrols Of their cavalry are report
to see If bridges have been destroyed.
The trains are running no further south
than Ghent. Telegraphic and railway
communicat ton has ceased.
back on Antwerp, which 1t Will mold and
where it will play the part of a re-
serve. The German advance on Lou
vain began early Wednesday morning.
with a turning movement on Aerschet.
The attack on Aerschet grew very vio-
lent at the most exposed point on the
northeast Of the village. Two regt-
ments Of Belgian line which already
had taken part in the defense of Lege
were held prisoners for an hour and
forty minutes. They only gave way
then when their quick hrers were out
of action and they had to bear brunt
Of the flank and frontal attack deiiv-
cred simultaneously. A mere remnant
Of the regiments returned then through
village which was on dre In several
places
Aeros Light Up Battlenelds.
"As a sequel to this action the Ger
mans took possession of Louvain railway
station. but they seemed to have been
driven out Of it again before evening.
Accounts on this point are CONTRA
dictory.
At Trlemont. the line Of approach.
the the, attack to great extent .a,aos suosided
night. when the Germans succeeded in
surprising the Belgians Suddenly Ger
man aeroplanes were heard above the
Belgian positions. th There rev, were =. fs four Or
to a height Of no more than 200 meters.
these flung amid the troops below
metallic objects. described as plaques.
which on contact with the ground burst
In the neighborhood Of these flames
the German artillery directed its fire.
while for some time aeroplanes illumi-
mated the Belgian ranks with downcast
searchlights. The Belgians were sur
prised completely A regiment Of lancers
suffered severely and something ap-
preaching rout followed. the troops re-
firing In disorder along the roads, with
their horses rearing and a vast number Of
motor cars trying vainly to turn. Only
some hve kilometers on the farther side
Of Louvain did it become an organized
retreat.
+" Pillaging has started on the field Of
made their appearance. Most Of the
German officers carry considerable sums
Of money upon them. The equivalent Of
10000 francs was found on the body Of
~ Af,r >
bait. The Belgian troops suffer a. well.
and one officer I met, who had been
wounded by lance thrust near Tirle-
mont. was practically stripped when he
battle. He found his uniform had been
taken from him and all money he carried
in a bag around his neck, as well as his
rings and wrist watch.
1.-THE pillagers, when seen, pretend
to belong to the Red Cross and press
q bottle Of some cordial to the lips Of
the inanimate man they have been
robbing.
Spies Are Bold.
The spying system has not been re-
laxed. German spies show extraordi-
nary courage. One was actually cap
tured in q fort at Liege. whore he
was properly constituted as a Belgian
reserve ohicer. having presumably en-
tered the Belgian army for that pur-
pose.
Women disguised as nuns or Red
Cross helpers have constantly given
daily notice Of the position of detach-
ments Of troops to Germans, stealing
across the field under pretense Of tend
ing the wounded.
II met an ofIicer who helped to catch
two red handed. They were disguised
as Red Cross nurses They were shot.
This same of1cer has been present at
a number of executions Of spies. The
men. when taken. shrug their shoulder
"Cest bon." They are led out, and,
after a brief court-martial. attached to
post and shot. They die without
murmur.
THE execution of woman spies has
been, on the contrary. unspeakably ter
rible scenes. They have struggled.
screamed and. had to be dragged to the
post"