Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-03
HUNS VICTIMS
INSPIRE PITY
BELGIAN BOYS. THEIR RIGHT
HANDS CHOPPED OFF, PASS
THROUGH IOWA.

Fort Madison. June S0.-People OF
Fort Madison have seen positive proof
of the stories Of German butchery OF
Belgians and have heard from the lips
of some Of the victims flrsthand &C
counts of the atrocities which marked
the progress Of the German army
across Belgium and into France and
later its occupation Of some OF the
towns which it sacked and wrecked ia
make Hun holiday.
On Santa Fee train which passed
through Fort Madison few days ago
were Belgian woman and her two
boys. enroute to California where they
had been promised home and a
chance to erase as we'll as may be the
memories Of the horrors through which
they have passed since the fall of 1914
when the little Belgian town where
they lived was entered by the Prus-
slams and their little world was over
turned in day.
"kuitur," A. They Know II.
The mothers wan face, her silvered
hair and the marks Of keen suffering
in her face gave her the appearance OF
woman OF middle age. She is still in
her thirties. Her boys-one Is years
old. the other will carry through life
their marks of German "kultur.' for
each has given his right hand as toll to
Belgium, burning. numbering, footing
and violating, with a lust which knew
no law, no decency and no humanity.
Many women and children were MUIR
dered: this mothers life was spared
and her children, with dozens of their
little playmates. lost only their right
hands and escaped from the Prussian's
Belgium alive.
Father Dies for Belgium.
The story Of this family. as the
mother told it to sympathetic trainmen
and travellers during the journey from
Chicago to Fort Madison. is no different
from the story Of many other families,
the woman said save that murder was
substituted in many cases for the vivi-
section which seemed to please the
lawless Germans better in other In
stances.
This family lived happily in little
Belgian town near Louvain. The father
owned a little dry goods store which
yielded living for himself and his
family but left little for savings. When
the Belgians We're called to arms to de-
fend their kingdom from attack. he
Joined the colors and a few weeks
later he was killed in battle.
Meanwhile. the Germans entered the
town, wrecked the little. store and
most Of the houses in the community.
drove out the old men and herded the
women and children into the public
square
Captors Jssr Victims.
Then the boys were sorted out Of the
crowd and forced into the center Of the
awed circle of refugees by grinning
Prussian soldiers who did not hesitate
to use their bayonets to enforce their
commands. Each little Belgian boy was
forced to lay his right hand on a chop
ping block. and German officers leered
as they swung their swords and sent
them crunching through the tender
flesh and the immature bones. Their
laughter rang out as each little boy.
bleeding and moaning, was caught up
by his mother, the jagged stump Of his
wrist leaving a crimson trail Until turn
iquets were applied and death was
averted.
Only the strongest children survived
the ordeal There were many deaths.
the Germans would vary
the punishment, and instead Of hand
they would sever foot. or an ear. or
one hand and one foot.