Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-02
CRUEL ELTY CHARGES
AGAINST GERMANS
French Commission Submits
Its Report After Exhaustive
Investigation.
WOUNDED MEN KILLED:
WAR PRISONERS SLAIN
Other Accusations Include the EN-
ployment Of Civilians as
Shields in Battle.

PARIS, August ., 1855 a.m.-The
commission presided over by George
Payelle, president of the French court
, of accounts, has presented to Premier
Viviani the final report OF its inyesti-
CATION into acts on the part of German
! soldiers in violation of the rights Of
man.
This report contains 10000 words and
gives in detail the evidence gathered
concerning the use by German troops OF
| military and civilian prisoners as
shields against the fire of French
| troops. as well as of the employment by
the troops of Emperor William of
cartridges in which the bullets were
| reversed in order to cause more serious
wounds; split bullets, and other bullets
cut to make them more rending.
Orders to Kill Wounded.
Continuing, the report cites orders given
by Gen. Stengar, commander OF the 5Sth
German Brigade. directing the soldiers to
kill the wounded enemy and to take no
more prisoners.
Evidence confirming the issuing and the
circulation of this order was obtained
from German prisoners belonging to the
llZtn ana lfSQ TSBlIicHlo. HC iSPoA I
contains also evidence Of the massacre
of French soldiers as result of this or
der as we'll as the massacre of wounded
men after the battle Of Fethe. in Belgium
1t represents the allegations of many
individual soldiers, who declare they saw
their wounded comrades put to death by
a rifle shot, a revolver shot, the thrust OF
a bayonet or a blow from the butt Of a
musket by German soldiers, subaltern Of
ficers and officers.
Survived Such Attacks.
Some Of the French witnesses testified
that they themselves had been objects Of
such aggressive attacks after having been
wounded, and that they had survived.
The report devoted considerable
space to allegations qf the inhumanity
of the Germans to their prisoners of
war. which, it says, is proved by the
evidence of the victims. Many prison
ers of war have been shot, while the
skulls of others were crushed by blows
from the butt of musket. At St. Die
thirty French prisoners were assassi-
mated in this manner by Bavarian
troops. The truth of this is vouched
for by five men who actually witnessed
the executions. Other men who ap-
peared before the commission declared
that they had found the dead bodies Of
a French patrol numbering seven men.
an infantry corporal and six privates,
with their hands tied behind their
backs and dead from rifle shots. This
incident was further supported by evil
dence taken before a Justice of the
peace.
Bombardment of Ambulances.
The report concludes with three col
umns of evidence to prove the bonn
harding of ambulances by the Germans;
the firing upon stretcher bearers. and
the taking prisoner of surgeons. In
some cases, it is set forth, French sur
seons were arrested by German sur
geons and by them sent to the rear to
be interned.
Several cases are cited in which Ger
man wounded, succored by Frenchmen,
are alleged to have taken the opportu-
nifty to kill those going to their relief