Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-09
GERMAN SOLDIERS KILL
MANY CATHOLIC PRIESTS
Members OF Clergy Exposed to Spe-
cial Indignitics Mt Hands Of
Kaiser's Troops
SPECIFIC INSTANCES ARE GIVEN
Churches and Religious Houses De-
stroycd or Profaned in Almost
Every Town and Village-Sacred
Vessels Arc Stolen.

LONDON. January Sat the request
Of tho Belgian legation in London, the
British press bureau to-day issued de-
tailed allegations Of the maltreatment
OF Catholic clergy In Belgium and the
destruction OF their institutions by
German troops.
The statement says churches and re-
ligious houses were destroyed or pro-
famed In almost every village and in
many towns where the German troops
passed. In most cases the ediflces
were utilized as stables and prisons
and, when not placed In safe hiding, the
sacred vessels were stolen.
The statement declares members Of
the clergy have been exposed to special
indignities at the hands of German
soldiers. In the Diocese Of Liege, Ma
muir. Maiines and Ghent many priests
and others connected with the churches
were either shot or hanged. Many
other priests were carried of to Ger
many. where they appear to have been
Subjected to abominable usage"
The following specific instances are
given In the statement Of tho press
bureau:
August p7-An American and
Spanish priest. among group OF
seventy civilians. were dragged about
from place to place all day and mo-
Tested. insulted and threatened with
military execution. They were taken
to the church at Campenhout and shut
UP for the night.
August 2l-The priest OF Deuchen,
an Invalid, eiEhty-seven years old, sur
fering from disease, was accused by the
Germans of having fired on them. He
was arrested, hoisted on cannon.
tossed into ditch, tortured and shot.
PRIEST SHOT TO DEATH
AND CAST INTO RIVER
"A witness deposes that he saw the
Priest Gelrode brought into Aerschot
August % with three wounded men.
The Germans said he was an English
spy and took him to tho town hall.
The following day they beat him with
rifle butts, and then on the Demer
Bridge they shot him and cast his BODY
into the river"
a priest makes tho following deposi-
ton:
August Is - @ man soldiers
swarmed into tho village OF Sche fren
and began to burn and pillage, on the
pretense that shots hnd been Aired on
them. One hundred and seventy houses
were burned and twenty-seven civilians
were murdered. The Germans NAL
treated me In every way. They erected
Eallows on which they said they pro-
posed to hang me. They thrust me Into
house which was on fire, but dragged
me out again. They sent me off, and
shooting at me. L fell and pretended
to be dead. and SO I escaped"
Continuing. the statement saws 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 dloceses In the Liege
diocese ten priests were shot, and in
the Namur Diocese twenty priests we're
killed. The priest OF Spontln was first
hung up by the feet then by the
hands and pierced with bayonets. In
the Diocese OF Tournai, n bishop, seven
ty-four years old. WAS seized as a host
age and struck by soldier Three
eccleslasts were shot in this diocese.
The statement concludes with these
words:
nothing can demonstrate more
clearly the tendencies OF the Germans
III dealing with members of the cleri
cal body than the words OF n procIa-
nation posted by the German authori.
ties at Grivesnee September 8, which,
says. When hostages are taken. IN,
priests. hurgomasters and member. q,
the communal administration ara TO
he put Mt the head of the list"