The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-12-28
written RECORD
OF ATROCITIES
Diaries of German Soldiers Tell
Of Murder and Pi|age in
Belgian Cities.
CALLED ''DIsGRACE TO ARMY"
No Discrimination Made Between In
rocent and Guiity-.nfants Shot
in Dead Mothers Arns-Tes-
tinlcny Of Brand Whitlcck.

Very many German settlers Who
hare been taken prisoner had kept
diaries, and these hare been confs-
rated by he captors. Many hare
been published, frequently uiM fac
siml1e reproductions to guarantee
their authenticity, The ~fohouing
ert'ucfs. miM tie testimony Of
Brand Whiilock, are made public by
the committee on public information
at Washington:
Aug. %. . Our men came back
n said that at the point where the
valley Joined the Mouse we could not
shooting at US from every house. We
shot the whole Lotto Of them. They
were drawn up in three ranks; the
same shot did for three at Il time.
49,. The men had already shown
their brutal instincts; 80.
'"The sight of the bodies of all the
inhabitants who had been shot was
understandable. Every house in the
whole village was destroyed. We
dragged the villagers one after an
other out of the most unlikely
h men were shot as well as the
women and children who were in the
convent, since shots had been fired
from the convent windows; and we
burnt it afterwards.
'SThe inhabitants might have es-
capped the penalty by handing over the
guilty and paying $1,000 francs.
"The inhabitants fired on our men
again. The division took drastic
steps to stop this, the villages being
burnt and the inhabitants being shot.
The pretty little village Of Cue
dOssns, however. was apparently set
on fire without cause. A cyclist fell
off his machine and his rifle went off.
He Immediately said he had becn shot
at. All the inhabitants We're burnt
ia the houses. l hope there will be no
more such horrors.
"Disgracc to Our Army"
AT Leppe apparently 200 men We're
SHOT. There must have beer some in
nocent men among them. In future
we shall have to hold an inquiry as
to their guilt instead Of shooting
them.
In the evening we marched to
Maubert-Fontaine Just as we were
having our meal the alarm was sound
1J-.yayv,,a /. ynrt ipn1n>
September :. Still at "I,etllel, on
guard over prisoners. The houses
are charming inside. The middle class
in France has magnificent furniture.
We found stylish pieces everywhere
and beautiful silk, but III what il state
Good God! Every bit of
furniture broken, mirrors smashed.
The Vandals themselves could mol
have done more damage. This place
is Il disgrace to our army. The in
llabitants who fed could o have ex-
pected, of course, that all their goods
would have been left intact after SO
many troops had passed. But the col
nmn commanders are responsible for
The greater part OF the damage, as
they could have prevented the footing
and destruction. The damage amounts
Ia millions Of marks; ever the safes
have been attacked.
IN a solicitors house, in which, as
luck would have it, all was in excel
lent taste. including Il collection of
old lace and Eastern works Of art,
.,n..-fI;,,u yrnS cvaaShnI In liip
Il could not resist taking a little
memento myself here and there.
One house was particularly elegant,
everything In the best taste. The hall
was Of light oak I found a splendid
raincoat under the staircase and 4
camera for Felix" (From the diary
Of an officer in the One Hundred
Seventy-eighth regiment, Twelfth Sax
on corps.)
But his horror apparently was not
shared by the German commander in
chief, as is evident from the follow
ing.
"Order.
ITO the People of Liege.
.sThe population Of Andenne, after
making Il display Of peaceful fnten-
tions toward u troops, attacked them
ia the most treAcherous manner With
my authorization, the general COM
handing these troops has reduced the
town to ashes and has had ITO persons
shot.
Il bring this fact to the knowledge
II the people of Lie:e in order that
they may know what fate to expect
should they adopt q similar attitude.
"GENERAL Won BUELOW."