New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-25
Interned Serbians
Are Driven Insane
In Austrian Camps
Minister Says Prisoners Are
Starved and Beaten
with Rifles
Correspondence Of Tho Associated Pr-='I

tCorrepndence Of Tho Associated FressI
Paris, June l5.-The Minister Of Ser
bia in Paris, NJ. Vesnitch, communi-
Gates to The Associated Press an OIL
fetal statement of the mistreatment Of
soldier and civilian Serbians impris-
oned and interned in Austria-Hungary'
an spite Of the difficulties Of ascer-
tanning facts in regard to prisoners OF
war and informed civilians" says the
statement, SERBIAN authorities have
been able to get some precise facts
that may be made public now.
Soldiers and civilians are huddieo
in wooden barracks in unhealthy
marshy districts along the banks OF the
Danube. They sleep on the bare noors,
with no bedding but thin litter OF
straw. and with only old blankets for
covering, while the roofs and sldes OF
the barracks afford little shelter.
Are Beaten with Rifles
"Their nourishment consists OF 100,
dor beets and a quarter of loaf o.
bread. made with musty corn meal ana
wild chestnuts. None of these prison
ers nor interned civilians have had
any meat for several months, although
they are forced to hard labor under
the guard of exempted soldiers, VINO
beat them with the butt ends OF rifles,
tie them to posts, or suspend them Tor
more than two hours at time Tor
slight infractions of discipline.
"Many interned civilians and soldiers
have succunnbed TO this treatment,
among them Costa Petroyitch, OF the
9Th Regiment of the 1st Ban, Of the
Branau Camp in Bohemia, where there
are about $4,000 soldiers and civilians
confined. This camp is under the COM
mand OF an Austrian general, who
seems 20 be unable TO prevent the
brutality and severity OF his sub
alterns.
"a great many OF both soldiers and
civilians have lost their minds as
result OF physical and moral suffering
in these camps. An Austrian doctor
told Of how he had seen az krizevsc
near Agram), more than 5000 insane
Serbian soldiers and civilians. A re
liable witness reports having observed
in a hospital at Mathausen more than
100 Serbian soldiers who had lost
their reason. Many others remain Grip
pied because Of neglect BY the camp
physicians.
10000 Serbians Die Of Typhus
During the typhus epidemic in Aus
tria-Hungary 5000 Serbian soldiers
died and were buried b. hundreds IN
common graves in one part alone ot
Mathausen. A false inscription. eyi.
IDENTIFY intended 10 hide the result OF
their neglect. was placed by the Aus
trians on a chapel raised ct this place,
reading: Serbian soldiers who died
Of wounds received in the Serbian
Austro- Hungarian war, which was pro
voked by Serbia
There is little place IN hospitals
for ailinC prisoners or informed civil
isns. as they are mostly full Of sick
and wounded Austrians. Those Of the
Serbian soldiers and civilians who had
clothing that was fit 10 wear were de
prived Of it by the Austrians. II was
taken 70 make cloth for Austrian sol
diers, while rags were given in ex-
change. The few Serbian soldiers who
succeed in getting into the hospital TO
be treated, though wounded and sick,
are made to work in the hospital kitch-
/ ems while there.
photographs nave reached US OF
soldiers who died in mines, where, &C
cording TO reliable information, both
soldiers and civilians, employed In
work that is beyond their strength, die
/ by hundreds.
Prisoners Work at Front
"News has reached US, also, that The
Serbian soldiers are employed on the
Italian and Russian fronts 10 carry
munitions 10 the firing line, TO dig
trenches, 20 pick up wounded on the
field Of battle, to carry water 10 the
soldiers, and even TO put up barbed
wire defences under the fire of the
Italian and Russian guns. Many Ser
bian soldiers have persisted on the
Italian front from Italian shells; moro
than 400 of them. wounded on the
Isonzo front, were at one time in the
Branau camp; only 80 Of them recov-
cred
"The Austro-Hungarian authorities
invent political offences against the
Serbian officers, soldiers and civilians;
some Of them were prosecuted for hav-
ing taken part in the assassination Of