Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-12

New York, Sept IA partial list
of the alleged German atrocities in
Belgium, against which the Belgian
King has sent protest to President
Wilson, was made public today by
Count Louis De Lichtervelde, secre
tary of the Belgian commission bear
ing the protest. The commission
reached this city today on it's way to
Washington.
AT Linsmeau when the Germans
entered the village, two uniformed
gendarmes attacked the Germans"
Count De Lichtervelde said. " In re-
venge the village was invaded on the
night of Aug. 10. Two farms were
destroyed and the crops destroyed or
carried away. six houses were burned
and all the men were compelled to
hand over their arms.
1T is found that none had been dis
charged recently and finally the men
were separated into three detach-
r1ents. Two of the detachments dis
appeared. A third, consisting of IL
men, was driven at the point of bay
onet into a ditch and when they were
piled in, the German soldiers set upon
them and beat their brains out with
the butt ends of their rifles. The IL
battered bodies were found later by
Belgian troops.
"On Aug. Il, after the battle OF
Haelen, Colonel Van Damme, COM
mander of a Belgian regiment, was
lying wounded on the battlefield. He
was unable to move. Several German
soldiers found him and placing their
revolvers against his mouth, blew his
head off.
AT Boucelles, the German troops
went into battle carrying the Belgian
flag.
On Aug. 10 the German cavalry
raided the town of Valen, while the in
habitants slept. One instance of what
they did may be cited in the case OF a
man named Deglimme, whose holne
was fired and looted. He and his wife
were taken from the house half naked
He was dragged away in one direction
| she in another. She was released Wher
| two miles away and told to run Wher
| she ran the German soldiers fired a.
| her but she escaped the bullets anc
| staggered back to the site of hel
! ruined home in pitiable condition
| Her husband also was released ant
| fired upon when he ran. He was foune
| the next day mortally wounded, on the
road outside the town."
! Count De Lichtervelde said he hae
read the statement attributed to ths
! German Emperor in which it was sale
| that harsh treatment of Belgians was
made necessary in some cases because
! Belgian civilians fired on German sol
! !diers.
! IT do not see how II is possible fol
a man to lie So" Count De Lichterveld'
/ said.
Later in the day Count De Licheter'
! ve,de said that despite President vii
sons absence. the Belgian commission
might leave for Washington tomorrow
! morning. Minister Havenith had in
formed the commission, he said, tina
Secretary Bryan would meet the com
mission and extend official courtesie'
until the President returned from COR
! nish
Tine sufferings of the Belgian peo
! plc are beyond all imagination, salt
| Count De Lichetervelde. IN the large
! they are appalling; in detail they arr
heartbreaking and sickening. There
has not been and hardly can he, ovel
statement of their sufferings, physica
| and mental
I'VE sincerely believe that the Amer
lean people will Enthusiastically DC
| it's snare in supplying relief for those
thousands of our people who are with
! out food and shelter and who, so fal
| as thew can now see, have no cause
for hope. The 0,000 of our fellow coun'
trymen in your land are almost
negligible number. but 1 believe they
arc contributing up to the limit OF
| their means which, unfortunately, II
most cases, are small.