The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-08
British Press Bureau
Recites Alleged Out
RACES Committed in
Belgium by Germans
REITERATION OF
FORMER STORIES
Specific Instances Given of Horrors
aud Indignities Said to Have Been
Suffered by Priests at the Hands
of Ksiser's Soldiers

London, Jan. s, 11.26 A. M.-At the
request of the Belgian legation in Lon
don the British press bureau to-day is
sued detailed allegations of the NAL.
treatment of Catholic clergy in Bel
gium and the destruction of their in
stitutions by German troops
This statement says that churches
and religious houses were destroyed or
profaned i'll almost every village and
in many towns where the German troops
passed. In most cases the edi6ces were
utilized as stables and prisons, and
when not placed in safe siding, the
sacred vessels were stolen.
The statement makes the declaration
that members of the clergy have been
exposed to special indignities at the
hands of the German soldiers. In the
Diocese of Iiege, Namur, Malines and
Ghent many priests and Others connect
ed with the churches were either shot
or hanged. Many priests were carried
off to Germany where they appear to
have been subjected to abominable
usage
Some of the Alleged outrages
The following specific instances are
given in the statement of the press bu-
reau:
"August 81: An American and
Spanish priest, among a group of sew
enty civilians, was dragged about from:
place to place all day and molested, in
suited and threatened with military ex-
ecution. They were taken to the church
at Campenolt and shut up for the
night.
"August 21: The priest of Duechen,
an invalid 81 years old, suffering from
disease, was accused by the Germans of
having fred on them. He was arrested
hoisted on cannon, tossed into ditch,
tortured and shot.
"a witness deposes that he saw
the priest Celrode brought into Aersllot
August "a with three wounded ren.
The Germans said he was an English
spy and took him to the town hall. Tho
following day they beat him with rifle
butts and then on the Demerl bridge
! they shot him and east his body into
the river.
Murder and Pillage Rampant
~ pIltob IHdhtS uut lOtlONlHS uC-
position:
august Is: German soldiers swarm,
ed into the village of Sehaffen and
began to burn and pillage on the pre-
tense that shots had been fred on them.
One hundred and seventy houses were
burned and twenty-seven civilians were
murdered. The Germans maltreated me
in every way. They erected a gallows
on which they said they proposed to
hang me. They thrust me into house
which was on fire, but dragged me out
again. They sent me off, and at dis
tanee of 200 yards they began shooting
ait me- I fell and pretended to be dead
and so | escaped.
Continuing the statement says the
commission of inquiry collected evil
dence that in the diocese of Malines
alone twenty-six priests were killed
| without cause. Similar atrocities oc-
CURED in other dioceses. In the Lege
diocese ten priests were shot and in the
Namur diocese twenty priests were
| killed. The priest of Spantin was first
| hung up by the feet and then by the
hands and pierced with bayonets. In
the diocese of Tournai, bishop ~
years old was seized as hostage and
struck by a soldier.
The statement concludes with these
words:
Nothing can demonstrate more
clearly the tendencies of the Germans
in dealing with members of the clerical
| body than the words of proclamation
| posted by the German authorities at
Grivegnee, September 6, which says:
| When hostages are taken the priests
burgomasters and members of the com
munal administration are to be put at
the head of the list -