The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-26
Germans Captured Two and
the City Of Namur.
Belgians Evacuated the Town
in Orderly Manner.
FRENCH ARMY RETAKES TOWNS
After Furious Fighting Invad-
ers Driven Across Sambre.
Terror Stricken Inhabitants |
Take to the Cellars.

London, Aug. 2s-The Paris corre
spondent of the Times. who had been
on the battlefield earlier in the fight
ing, says that ne met few miles out
side Of Phillippeville q Belgian officer
and the payms ster general Of Namur.
who told him the town of Namur had
been occupied by the Germans. 1t had
been subjected to a furious lombard
regulated that the first few shots had
silenced Fort Marchovelette on the
northeast and Fort Maizeret on the
east. Fort Andoy also suffered badly
and was almost out OF action:
The story continues: THE Germans
entered the town without encounter
ing much resistance. Fort Dave at
the southeast end Of town and Fort
Wepion on the opposite side of the
Meuse and the line of forts to the
'Tn spite OF the elaborate prepara-
lions with wire ENHANCEMENT through
which was passed an electrical current
Of 1900 volts and the liberal use Of
hands of the Germans on Sunday.
The Belgians evacuated the town
in an orderly manner. All rolling
stock and motor cars were removed
and the station master left on the last
locomotive with the railway cash box
under his arm. The Belgian troops
numbering 5000 passed under the por-
lection of a French cavalry screen
within the French lines" The CORE
epondent adds: =
Six Forts Still Hold.
Thus the Germans have done much
to win mastery over the two banks of
the Mouse almost as far as Dinant.
They, however, left behind them six
of the eight forts of Namur, which 1t
is expected will yet cause them consid-
cradle annoyance.
Later on Sunday the French artil-
1ery In its turn opened fire upon the
stricken town Of Chartroi. The Ger
mans In the earlier stages of the en-
the upper part of the town. The
French now emptied their hail of
shells upon the lower section of the
town and under a supporting fire from
their artillery the French infantry ad-
vanced slowly in the face of a stub
had just evacuated, retaining several
villages and becoming once more mas
tiers of the line between Thuin 6 miles
southwest of Chartroi) and Metax
AT six In the evening the fighting
ceased both sides being thoroughly
worn out. On the next morning before
dawn the French artillery again bonn
barded Chartroi and once more the
interchangeable troops OF France swarm
ed the slope toward the lower part of
the town recapturing the villages of
Chatalet, Boufioulx. Marchienno and
Gouilet
Heavy Losses ON Both Sides.
THE fighting at this stage of the en-
gagement was attended by heavy losses
on both sides. Chartroi. which was in
the center of the action, is an Industrial
mining district and in the Stag heaps of
the surrounding country the French
found admirable vantage ground, while
as in upper Alsace the Germans mount
en- mitrailleuses in every steepel of the
town.
I'm the face of whitening fire from
the German mitrailleuses the French
again entered the unhappy town of
Chartroi and after furiouus fighting
drove the Germans in confusion across
the Sambre river. The French entered
a city Uttered with dead. battered by
shell fire and devastated by every in
strument of modern war.
Outside a dilapidated inn could be
seen the figure of a German officer, the
head bowed over a basin of water and
the lather of soap drying upon the face.
He had been shot while in the act of
washing. Another officer lay across a
table. his hand holding aloft a cof-
fee cup which he was raising to his lips
when death found him. In every part
of the city houses were in flames or
snioCldering. Every cellar was occupied
by terror stricken inhabitan ts"