The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-07
CROWS AND
CORPSES MARK
RUINS OF CITY
Ice.ti..ea from rax. one,

are so roofs IN Goldap today. We
rode through blaekened and silent
streets. In which piles o. snow-coy-
cred masonry told of ruthless de
struction. In every house remain
ing In Goldap there is evidence that
the Russian soidiery tried to de-
stroy H.
These were not cossacks, but
Russian regulars. The ruin OF Gold.
ap was not the effect Of vodka
drinking. The few who remained
in Goldap during the Russian occu-
pancy agreed that there had been
no drinking-except by the officers.
A strict dIscipline-of the Russian
!sort--was maintained The outrage
Of women was consented 10. and in
discriminate destruction. and co-or
dinated robbery, but there had been
no vodka.
Neither had there been any fight.
ing In Goldap. The Russians occu-
pied II without resistance. Every
man and woman who was not too
old or too poor promptly 1ed. They
snow Russians Of old here in East
ern Prussia. The decrepit old men
the lettering old women who
alone remained can hardly be &C.
cused OF having provoked attack.
The demolition OF the town was a
part OF the Russian plan. Later on
shall have something TO say OF
Gen. BolgakoT. who commanded
here. His troops are from Riga
which Is equivalent TO saying they
are the best troops in Russia The
quarters his oficers occupied would
be abandoned by any selfrespecting
hog began to understand the
prevalence Of cholera in Russia.
Tn treatment given Goidap and
Lyck and Pilkallen and a hundred
other Prussian towns by the Rus
slams is no: IN accordance with the
laws OF civilized war. II Is the
sort Of treatment that the Tartar
hordes gave the towns they con
quered when they rode out from the
steppes four hundred years ago The
German and the French and the
English armies have all paid for
property taken from civilians. No
such property was ever taken ex-
cept without proper reQuisition. No
houses have been burned by these
armies except as an act OF military
necessity, or as punishment for
~sniping" The Russian has paid
for nothing He had destroyed 10
the FUN limit OF his very exceptional
ability.
The list Is too long to give in de-
tail. Heinrich Becker vas a we'll
TODD merchant in Goldap. Because
his house was large one II was
taken by the soldiers. Thirteen men
assailed Mrs. Turowsky there one
day. They dragged her In from the
street screaming and praying TO her
God Becker was knocked down in
corner
There was Miss SchoenhaId."
said Bremen. Eighty years old, she
was. and very rich She owned a
great farm
She was very fortunate. She died.
Mrs. wilhelmina Flick-a poor,
trembling. frightened old woman
was not so fortunate On April
she will be rs years old Her gnarled
hands were clssped as she told her
story. Her meek eyes we're filed
with horror.
Il begged him." she said simply.
I'm the name Of his mother lie
knocked me down"
Amelie Broehardt. OF No. q
Mauerstrasse. is 70 years old. Her
gray hairs did not protect her. On
two different days Russian soldiers
entered her house.
/ Il went 10 the officers" said she
and they drove me from their
door"
No Russian soldier was punished
In Goldap for an offense against the
towns people. When the Russians
fed their army wagons were piled
high with the loot OF Goldap homes.
In advance OF the army had gone
a flight OF thievish peasants driving
away the horses and cows from this
district. They had settled upon this
town like flock Of carrion crows
am told have not seen-that
Russia's border villages are alled
with property stolen from Eastern
Prussia. II is certain there IL moth
Ing left In the these East Prussian
towns.
| The wreck OF Goldap Is Incredible.
except 20 those who have known the
Russian handiwork.S Stores have
been absolutely Quilted. Bent metal
work and shattered cases testify TO
the fury with which these soldiers
OF the czar sought for plumber.
Broken gun butts and twisted bay
onets In the sacked Bank der Ost-
preussiohen Iandschaft show how
the wall safe vas torn open. They
have no yeggmen IN this country.
Their bank safes would not keep
out man armed with a Ratchet