Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-01
OLD NAN is GERMAN HOSTAGE
Deputy Mayor Of POnt-a-MoussOn Is
Chief Captive Of Invaders.
TOwN IS BOMBARDED TWICE
Frfrst shower of Pro5eotiIes I'm
August and Another Attack I'm
september, when Place Ca
pftuIates 10 Enemy.


CCorrespondenoe OF the Associated Press.)
PoNT-A-MoUssoN. oct. sl,-Astride
the last three-inch gun Of column Of
artillery. fianked on either side by a
Bavarian soldier with fixed bayonet,
Monsieur Bertrand q round-shouldered.
white-haired veteran OF the war OF 1870,
and deputy mayor Of Pont-A-Mousson,
was carried from the city as chief hos
tage OF the Germans in the procession.
which marked tho end OF the occupation
by three Bavarisn regiments.
Pont-a-Mousson is a quiet town Of 1900
inhabitants, the possession Of which WIS
valuable TO the Germans only because OF
its bridge, which furnishes convenient
crossing Of the MosclIe on the road from
Metz to TouL II was attacked early in
the war, partly for this reason and partly
ne the result Of the defective vision of
captive balloon observers. who mistook
for Qualifications the antique ruins Of a
castle at tho village OF Mousson on hill
10 tho east Of the bridge.
The first bombardment OF the town
early IN August was not followed up
until the frat days OF September. when
captive balloon appeared in the air across
the river and German aeropIanes COM
rncnccd fnanaeuverins over the town.
They dropped 200 bambs, killing six and
wounding q great number OF civilians,
but Il was not until the sth that the ring
ing OF tocsin announced 70 the citisens
that the Germans had appeared on the
other side Of the river in force. Tho
solemn tones OF the bell were still heard
when a terrific dun explosion shook thu
windows OF every house; the bridge from
which the town derives IT. name was no
more, and Immediately after blowing Il
up the French troops. In too small num-
ber 70 cope with the enemy. quit the
town.
seud shower OF Proiectiles.
The captive balloon was seen again TO
rise in the distance. and coon after Ger
man heavy artillery began TO play on
the dilapidated antique castle on tho hill.
During thirty-six hours they ehowered
great projectiies on that spot, literally
pulverixing what remained OF the wniin.
occasionally diverting a shell 70 the town.
after which they crossed the Moseile on
an frnprovised bridge and rushed up 4
assault the supposed fortress. which they
found as quiet a. the grave. No French
soldiers had over occupied Il. and what
captive balloon were simply cloverly dis
posed tree trunks. and tho fire whioh re-
piled occasionally to their aune 10 COM
piets the Illusion. came from behind the
hill.
The story OF tho occupation Of thil
town IL quite the Same a. has been ~
often told Of other tcwns-hostagea
organisations and reQuinifions-but Il dit
- 14a.m -. .I a
the impressive music OF the French three
inch guns was heard In the town A
thu same time a French aeroplane wa
seen TO dart through the SKY IN the al
rection OF tho captive balloon. which
hastcncd 60 descend. These were the Pre-
limlnafies OF the battle OF nieulouard
20 which no dispatches have referred b
name. hut which was one OF the bloodleG
in Tie action Of General casteihau'
arnIE defending Nancy tftf
eontinual prooession Of irnprovise
ambulances passed through the tow
toward the bridge that night. and othe
waGone with more grewsome plissio
turned 70 the railroad station. where IN
habitants, retired to their houses BY OF
der saw loaded into ali kinds of fla
serf horse cars and cattle cars IN
bodies Of those that fell that day 4
Disuiouard. They were piled a. high 4
they could be packed. and In the earl
morning these wheeled eharuel house
were hauled across the frontier towar
afetz.
Not One Heeurned.
AZ for the sixty-seventh Bavarian 81
fantry. not one OF this regiment was eve
seen again In the streets Of POINTS
Mousson. and three days later the oths
troops OF occupation left the town.
On September = the Germans mad
their last attempt 20 recapture Pont-,
Mousson. ending IN a charge on the M
Of Saint GenevIeye. Tile French posiiio
at the summit had boon bombarded au
ins the morning and By eo'clock Il
lire Of the French seemed TO hnve be.
dcfipifeiy silenoed, The order for the a
aauit was given and 10 the music OF q
fife and drum the Bavarians started i
the slope, meeting no resistance uni
they arrived within a hundred yards
the first line Of trenches. Almost to
man The first line went down under Il
first rolley that received them ther
The ranks came on as II those m Il
rear had seen nothing Of this slaushte
and the machine guns and rifles swe
them down In some places Il was n
A'''""|"4N " NA'HN tItC TANKS because ~
piles Of bodies separated them. Al
finally these heaps Of dead and dyine. 3
came the rampant behind which some
the assailants sheltered themselves
protect the retreat OF those that we
ieft. The Saint Geneviovo ma. NJ
Atrewn with bodies and the soil aaeirat
With the blood Of the Bavarians. ana
efforts 70 reach Nancy from that Dol
were definitely abandoned.
The total losses OF that bloody eneas
ment are not kHoarn. because no one
TINS side. or the frontier can ten n,
f'sf'S saVafians went 70 the assault /
Il = certain that few got back to n,
camp AZ Pasny. and OF the three i
varian reeiments that occupied Pont.
Moufnon a Il PROBABLE that not q M
area % them returned 20 German soil
TERRIER FOIL OWS ITS