The Alaska daily empire., 1916-02-07

---------------- ----------------- bat and had the misfortune to be taken prisoners.
 According to the statements ap- pended. these atrocities gre not com ined to single instances of brutality and courage, but have occurred ct so many different points, nnd such beastly deeds have been committed by so many troop units, that it must be concluded that there prevails in a 'nrge part of the Russian army de- sire to commit inhuman acts of cru aity. Of the great number of cases already known. the appendix contains only those which have been officially investigated, especially those testi. fled Co under oath. officially reported through the army and incontestably verified. These instances can. there fore. only be considered as sample cases of the innumerable ones which have actually occurred.
 "The whole world knows that. in consequence of the Russian barbarous manner of wagmg war, previously fourishing districts of East Prussia now presents 9 picture of hopeless devastation; that entire villages have been burned down and laid waste; that the peaceful inhabitants have been compelled to flee In order to es cape being robbed md murdered leaving behind them all their belong iugs.
 Devastatlons of War.
 According to official investigation thousands of men. women end chil dren were dragged away, other thou sands murdered. about 10000 bulldingi were destroyed or burned during tho first and second Russian invasion O East Pruesia. During the second in vasion alone SO0OO dwellings wer' nlundered and dosolated. Also, th' last Russian expedition againsr Me mel may be characterized as a VII lanious raid combined with all kind of infamous crimes The brutal net and cruelties to which individual ir habitants have been subjected ar clearly set forth in the appendices.
 "Russian troops have stolen, robbed Dlundered and mallclously destroye in every conceivable manner mobil property of the poor as woll as th 'rich. Cattle and utensilg were take away without being pcid for or eel tificates of credit given In exchange Men and women were obliged to tur Lover their laet coins to mercenar soldiers. Dwellings were ransacke md whatever ilcased the individua -oldier was stolen; houses were ofte nlundered by various troop units on after another. Finally without reaso or purpose, houses, farm building and utensils were get on fire an thereby destroyed.
 "The inhabitants, including wome md children were mishandled unde the most flimsy pretexts. or for n -eason at ali. although they did a hey could to satisfy the Russia
 oldiers regarding quarters and SUI ol:es. This mistroatment was som' times carried out with extrem ,ruelty; in one case the male inhab ants of on entire village. includin .he District Judge, were flogged an at the same time threatened wit death. Fugitives were fired upo without any motive.
 Slain Without Reason.
 But above all. many peaceful cit -ens were murdered without any rel son whatever. some enduring terribl -uffering in the presence of their rel' lives. Innocent men were shot mer iy because they were able to perforl military service. Refugees while b ing transported were fell upon; me and women were separated and th former killed without any trial hearing whatever
 ~A head forester who was i. charge of a transportation of Ge man. convlctc. was taken prisoner b the Russians and brought before Ge | Rennenkampf and - apparently keeping with his infamous orders 'dl all German fore5te.s-was in mcdia.eiy shot. Even tho aged. won ,n and children did not escape tn murderous frenzy of the Russia soldiers.
 "The murder of a little child b' tween two and three years of ag was particularly cruel. Investigation how how terrible was the end of whole family which fell victims of th Russian soldiers lust for murder. Tn aiber was nailed to a table, the chil Go door. and the mother's breast were cut off and her abdomen sli open.
 "Jn another Instance the tongues O the husband and wife were nailed t the table. and they finally die' through loss of blood and hunger"
 Information regarding the crue treatment of German prisoners O war by tho Russian troops will bl found in additional appendices. IT numerous cases German ooldiors wh' were taken prisoners were robbe' spat upon and otherwise ill-treat ed without any reason. A Russian of ficer threatened some German soldiers