Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-10
nv 1IiItion Bronner.)

IN y ssf5S (8yNN Milton sBrOnnef.) ~
AytaAhinGtohs, Dec. 1O.--BFapd
WhitlocE#2 AIInerican ministef 70
Belgium 81 on official recprd<
chaseipNg; the with crimes
" maesacring civilians, using
sSmOn.Cpmbatant natives as ehie3dsg
for their advancing troops, and Il /;
Reporting thousands upon thou 4
Nsainds of Belgiuns into virtual
slAvery In Germany. sS
Hin reports to that effect, made
while he was stillsAt Brussels, ara
department. They add the last
testlmonyI1 proof were needed
that all Of the atrocities charged II
m TO theNHuIsf are based upon
e hldoousS facts and not merely ups
siaS on the inflamedg Imagination, of
hostile populations.
Whitlock In his capacity as g diplo-
mat Of a power still at that time at
peace with Germany, reported factsHtoI
his superior officers. They did not
want propaganda stories either To- or,
against anyone. Washington wantAd to.
know what was going on in Belgium.
Whitlock reported the news with
as much accuracy an 1t was possible
for him toSEet, it. And he got it r.sr-
hand because the American legation
was the clearing house through which
the victims Of the Huns passed.
For a long time Whitlock's reports
have been locked up. Now they ale
released, forming part of a 94-page
book on German War Practices" is
sued by George Creel's committee on:
public. information, and edited by
Prof. D. G. Munro Of Princeton uni
versity. 7 fI a
Whitlock's first Dispatches regarding
the cruelties Of the Germans were
sent in 1914 when the kaiser's legions
were spreading death and terror be-
fore them: s}53 !
Summary executions took place at
y Dinant," he wrote, without the least
semblance Of Judgment. The names
and number OF the victims are not
Among the persons who were shot
are: M. Defoin. mayor OF Dinants
Sa~sserath,l first alderman; Ntmmer,
aged 10; consul for the Argentine re-
public, Victor Poncelet, who was exc
cuted In the presence Of his wife and
seven children; Gustave and Leon
Nicaise, two very, old men.
In the cellar of their brewery; Ca
mile Pistte and his o aged II;
Phillipart Piedfort. his wife and
laughter, Miss Marsigny.
During the execution Of about 40
inhabitants Of Dinant, the Germans
placed before the condemned their
wives and children. It is thus that
Madame Aim who had just given
birth to q child three days previously,
was brought ona mattress by German
soldiers to witness the execution Of
y her husband; her cries and, supplica-
tons were SO pressing that her hus-
bands life was spared. y
ION the 26th day of August German
soldiers entered various streets OF
Louvain and ordered the Inhabitants
of the houses to proceed to the Place
nearly q dozen assasstnaAed persons
were lying.
Il Women and children had to VII
ness the execution Of many Of their
{. fellow citizens who were for the mos
: part shot, atsAthe side of the square
The women and children, after hav.
ing remained on the square for more
than Is hours. were allowed to do.
part. 5.S5s ."@
Three Gardes Civtquessof Louyyair
were taken prisoners and sent to Ger.
many to the camp of Muenster, where
they were held for several weeks.
; "One Of the most isorely tried com.
mnnities was, that Of the little villaxlx
!. of Tarnines downin what is known a,
the 5Borinage, the coal fields OF Char.
leroi.
" ''Tamines is q mining village, q col.
lection Of small cottages 'shelterinf
F., about 5000 nhad6ttants mostly al
poor laboFers. The little graveyard, il
which the church stands, bears it
mute testimony . the horror OF tn.
event.gThere ri hundreds Of neVs
made graves, each with its ssrnal
wooden cross and It's bit Of flowers
the crosses are SO closely hpddled tina
there is scarcely to walk be
tween them They are all alike and al
bear the same date. the sinister dat
u OF August 90. 1914.
But whether their hands were ca
(aff or not, whether they were impale
on $bayonetsi or not, children wer
shot down by: military order in col
blood. In the awfu1icrime ofsthe5 Roc
Of Bayard, there overlooking til
Meuse below Dinant, infants in thei
mothers arms were shot down with
out mercy. Il Il 85
''The deed, never surpassed in gu
city by any band OF sava9es.N SIS de
. scrlbed by. the bishop Of Namur him
u zone scene surpasses IL horror )
Others: 1t is the fusillades Of the Roc
Bayard near fDinant. ItGappearss
have been ordered by Colonel sMeiste
The fusillade caused title death 4
nearly 80. persons without dIstinctto