Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-13

shocking and cannot be regarded as
contemplated or described by the re-
sponsible commanders of the troops
by whom they were committed. The
inference, however, which we draw
from these occurrences is that when
once troops have been encouraged in
a career OF terrorism, the more savage
and brutal natures, of whom there
are some in every large army, are
liable to run to wild excess, more par
ticularly in those regions where they
are least subject to observation and
control"
The Killing Was Deliberate.
Evidence goes to show that deaths
in these villages were due not to acct
dent but to deliberate purpose. The
wounds were generally stabs or cuts
and for the most part appear to have
been inflicted with a bayonet.
I'm Malines many bodies were seen
One witness saw German soldier
cut off woman's breast after he had
murdered her, and saw many other
dead bodies of women in the street. =
In Hofstadt two witnesses speak OF
having seen the body Of young man
pierced by bayonet thrusts with the
wrists cut also.
ION a side road the corpse of a
civilian was seen on his doorstep
with a bayonet wound in his stomach
and by his side the dead body of a
boy Of five or six with his hand nearly
severed.
1.-TWO young women We're lying in
the backyard of a house. One had her
breasts cut off. the other had been
stabbed.
"A young man had been hacked with
a bayonet until his entrails protrud-
ed. He also had his hands joined in
he attitude OF prayer.
Violation and Mutiiation of Girls.
in Sempst the corpse of a man with
his legs cut off, who was partly bound
was seen by a witness. who also saw
girl of II dressed only in CT imese
and in great distress. She alleged tina,
she herself and other girls had been
dragged into a field, stripped naked
and violated, and that some of them
had been killed with bayonet.
"At Elewyt a mans naked body Was
tied up to a ring in the wall in the
backyard Of house. He was dead
and his corpse was mutilated in a
manner too horrible to record A wo-
mans naked body was also found in a
stable abutting on the same back yard
AT Haescht child Of three with
it's stomach cut open by a bayonet
was lying near a house. At Werchter
the cOrpSes of a man and a woman
and four younger persons were found
in one house. 1t is said that they had
been murdered because the latter
a girl. would not permit the Germans
to outrage her."
Taking up conditions at Aershot and
district during September the report
says:
Little Children Crucified.
AT Haecht several children had
been murdered, one of two or three
years old was found nailed to the door
of a farmhouse by it's hands and feet,
a crime which seems almost incredi-
BILE, but the evidence for which we feel
bound to accept. In the garden of
this house was the body of a girl,
who had been shot in the forehead.
AT Eppeghem the dead body of a
child Of two was seen pinned to the
ground with a German lance. The
same witness saw a mutilated woman
alive near Weerde on the same day."
"A chapter is given to the terrible
conditions at Louvain, where the re-
port states, massacre, fire and de-
struction went on. Citizens were
shot and others taken prisoners and
compelled to go with the troops. Sol
diers went through the streets saying
Man hat geschossen." One soldier
was seen going along shooting in the
air.
THE massacre of civilians at Lou
vain was not confined to it's citizens.
Large crowds of people were brought
into Louvain from the surrounding
districts, not only from Aershot and
Gelrod, but also from other places.
For example, witness describes how
many women and children were taken
in carts to Louvain, and there placed
in a stable. OF the hundreds of peo-
pie thus taken from the various viii
lagos and brought to Louvain as pris-
onerS, some were maSSacred there.
others were forced to march along
with citizens of Louvain through va
rious places, some being ultimately
sent to the Belgian lines at Malines,
others were taken in trucks to Co
logne. others were released.
Government System Of Terrorizino.
Some We're marched through CO.
logne afterwards for the people to
see. Ropes were put around the ne Is
of some and they Were told they would
be hanged. An order then came. that
they were to be shot instead of
hanged. A firing squad was prepared
and five or six prisoners were put I'D,
but were not shot. = This taking
OF the inhabitants, in groups and
marching them to various places must
evidently have been done under the
direction Of higher military authori-
ty. The ill-treatment of the prisoners
was under the eyes and often under
the direction or sanction Of officers.
and officers themselves took part in it.
1T is to be noticed that cases occur
in the dispositions in which humane
acts by individual officers and soldiers
are mentioned, or in which officers are
said to have expressed regret at being
obliged to carry out orders for cruel
action against the civilians. Similarly.
we ind entries in dilries which reveal
a genuine pity for the population and
disgust at the conduct Of the army, II
that a German nor-conmis-
stoned officer stated definitely that he
was acting under orders and execut-
Ing them with great unwillingness.'
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