Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-02
CORRESPONDENT RE.
PORTS EFFECTIVENESS OF
MACHINE GUN FIRE.
DEAD AROUND FORTS
COUNTED BY THOUSANDS
Newspaper Man at Antwerp Says Ger
man Dead Lie in Heaps in Places
Hombardment Of Rheims Continues
Limited States Consulate Partly
Destroyed by Shell.

London, Oct 2.-"The Germans have
suffered heavily everywhere under the
well-directed machine gun fire OF the
Belsians." according to a statement
cabled from Antwerp by the correspon-
dent of the Central News. At the
Wavre and ST. Catherine forts alone
(outside Of Antwerp the German dead
may be counted by thousands. At
several points the corpses lie in heaps.
Entire companies have been exterlnin-
ated, while the other troops were driv
en- back at the point of the bayonet'
Rheims Bombardment Continues.
The Rheims correspondent of the
Exchange Telegraph Company. under
date of Wednesday, sends this story
of the continued bombardment OF
Rheims.
THE bombardment of Rheims still
continues. The city mas now beer, ui.-
der fire of the German guns for sixteen
days and in every part of the city the
whistle of shells as well as the explo-
sion is heard OF the explosion,
wrecking buildings in every quarter.
THE fire is no longer directed on
the cathedral. altho during Monday
night four shells dropped thru the
shattered roof and exploded in the in
terror.
U. S. Consulate Hit by She'll.
Shortly after midnight this morning
fierce artillery duel was heard on the
front Just outside the city. 1t was re-
sumed with even greater Intensity at
4 o'clock. During the bombardment
the American consul. William Bardel.
had a narrow escape, as "a shell
wrecked half his residence over which
the stars and stripes were flying.
when the Germans first bornbarded
the city on Sept. 4, the American,
Spanish and other counseis appealed
| in vain to the German commander to
spare the city"
Germans Make BIunder.
when the first German army was
at Beaumont, southeast OF Rheims,
their second army suddenly entered
the town from the direction of Eper-
nay. The German commander was talk
ing to the mayor and other local Of
flcials on the steps Of the town hall
arranging terms for the occupation
when the first German army, not
knowing of his presence. poured $50
shells into the city. The commander,
suspecting a trap by the French Of
ficials, furiously threatened to shoot
the mayor and the city counciimen.
Later it was discovered that the shells
were Of German manufacture and he
dispatched an automobile to the first
army requesting that they cease firing.
Several Germans were killed before the
fighting ceased.
"On the way from Paris to- Rheims
one passes the college of athletes,
where France expected to train her
competitors for the Olympic games.
The gymnasium buildings are q mass
of ruins as is also the magnificent
marble open-air swimming pool. in
which several shells had fallen.
Passing the scene Of the recent
battle of the Marne, the traveller may
see hundreds Of old men and women
harvesting in the same spots where
few days ago there We're numerous
bodies"
Germans May Quit Brussels.
In a dispatch from Amsterdam the
correspondent Of the Central News says
advices reaching there from Brussels
sets forth that there is every reason
to anticipate the early withdrawal oi
the Germans from the Belgian capital
Wounded men are being sent back to
Germany and the German official doc
uments are being packed up.
The correspondent says he has learn
ed from good source that the German
general staff has left Luxumberg in
eighty motor cars for Mainz.