New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08
Advancing Army Finds
Deadly Instrument of
CHASTITY Nature =
Proof Given the World
Alleged That Legitimate Ex-
cuse for Weapons Cannot
Be Found in War

Rome, June l6.-The recent advance
Of the Italians has enabled them to coll
lect evidence eonvieting the Austrian
army of atrocities which are not be-
hind those practised by the Germans.
The kultur which produced gas and
liquid fire has apparently spread to the
Austrian high command, which has
beer supplying its soldiers with a par.
ticu.arly ghasuy instrument for the
murder OF wounded Italians.
Photographs OF the Austrian murder
weapon have been made by Italian
officers, and show that considerable in
genuity has been spent in making these
instruments as effective as possible.
In general the "sticker" consists of a
heavy stick. much like a policeman's
mace. with a sharp prong OF steel in
serted at the end. The end which holds
the prong is fortified with steel plat
ing or studded with sharp iron prongs
ne other end OF the mace il shaped
Tor firm grasp, and has a small rope
Tor slipping over the wrist. tt
Italian soldiers have been found dead
with wounds which could not have been
produced by bullets or by the bayonet;
they have been found horribly lac
Grated and torn, and many Italians ap-
parently have been killed after they
had been wounded by a rife bullet.
Cnu! the mace was actually discovered
tne Italian army was unable 70 prove
now the beastly work was done. Now
the proof IS given to the world.
Has no Legitimate Use
Authorities on modern warfare hays
pointed out that the Austrians cannot
claim any legitimate purpose for these
maces. In any hand-to-hand encounter
the mace would be too bulky and too
short for safety against the ordinary
bayonet When a soldier is armed with
me white arm as the bayonet is
called, he can be met only with smother
oayonet, or with a bullet or bomb The
Austrian army has plenty Of bayonets
ana It's men know how 20 use them. So
these weapons cannot be substitutes.
II Is obvious that they are not intended
Tor use against an unwounded enemy.
But the mace as shown in the Off
cial photograph is absolutely perfect
for the purpose OF killing men unable
TO defend themselves. When the mace
is used as a club the cluster OF sharp
knots az the end can put a man GU,
with one blow. Used as n bayonet, the
mace is available for fighting NJ closer
quarters than the bayonet allows. Blu,
the mace is clearly intended for use
by man who has more time than any
soldier can have in an attack or in a
hand 70 hand encounter. and il can
only be used against wounded mar,
one VINO is incspacitated for self-de-
fence.
Like the German SkuIl-Cracker
The mace is apparently an Austrian
modification of the German skull
cracker, specimens Of which have beer
picked up on the Western front. Thit
consists Of leather handle. a supple
steel shaft and a bolt Of iron at IN.
end. It's use is clear from tn. name
which "Tommies" have given 10 II.
Like the mace, 10 is useless against an
armed enemy, and can therefore only
be employed after It's victim has been
disarmed or put out OF combat by
wounds.
Americans have generally been re-.
luctant 20 believe that such inhumsn.
ties as the murder Of wounded are
being prsctised in this war. The proof
that Germans and Austrisns are guilty
OF this strocity Is 70 be found in all
the war museums - the Allies, for
Italy is not the only country which has
suffered. After each battle the mill
tary police takes charge % the con
quered ground and searches u care
fully for evidences 81 what the enemy
has prepared. Much valuable iniorma-
ton is collected in this way, particu-
larry from the deep dugouts, where i'm
plements have been stored away.
Other details are found By digging
through the earth thrown up by mine
crater The bodies OF the dead are. 81
course. carefully searched. and the in
formation gathered is sent in % head
quarters. Each army fighting against
the Central Empires has thus made a
museum Of atrocities. IN the Italian
museum the murder mace is prime
exhibit.