The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-12-13
CRUEL TEUT0N TORTURE
BRITISH ARMY OFFICER GIVES
STORY OF BARBARITiES
Hun Treatment of Their Prison
ers UnciviIized; Werk of
Dastards
CAPTAIN R. PIP. ROWE

The Germans. apart from the
crimes which they have committed in
Belgium and on the high seas, in the
late war specialized in particularly
revolving form of cruelty. The
proofs OF their purposeful torture OF
prisoners, partly to get the utmost
work possible out of them and partly,
it would seem, simply to destroy life
or physique in an enemy, provide a
record that would have been incredi-
BILE before 1914. Thousands of Eng
|lish, French, Italian and Russian
prisoners of war have been deliber
ately put to death by combination
of overwOrk and starvation. Under
the fire of their fellow countrymen's
guns, they have been driven i'll
gangs like slaves to labour on their
enemy's defences When hardly able
to move through weakness, they have
been beaten or stabbed with bayo
nets to force them to further effort
Hang Men BY Wrists.
One of the German methods with
Russian prisoners has been to hang
them by their wrists to stake with
their feet off the ground. OF this verr
literal form of crucifixion there is
overwhelming evidence. 1t is, in fact
a common practice to suspend pris
oners thus for hours at time.
Eventually. insensible, with their
wrists terribly lacerated. they are cut
Town. Even when rope is used to
bind them it would seem the extrem-
ity of torture, but according to the
attest accounts wire is often substi
uted. A Russian prisoner, who re-
Gently escaped from Germany, after
being worked for nearly three years
behind the German lines in France,
ave evidence of this development in
his official examination. The whole
If his evidence is interesting, but
nuch of it may not be reproduced.
His powers Of observation and clear
less OF judgment were such that he
lad military information to give of
more than ordinary value. From this
| t may be deduced that his perfectly
straight forward and unimpassioned
7tatements concerning his own treat
nent and that of other prisoners may
1lso be accepted without reservation
There is little in the evidences that
aas not been reported again and
lgain except the substitution of wire
or rope in "crucifxion"
Put at Work Under Fire
When this prisoners party arrived
at the western front in 1915 it was
one of the first patches TO be put TO
work under fire. At first the men re-
fused. AS measure of coercion they
were beaten with rifle butts, pricked
with bayOnets, and deprived of food. A
small number of them, who still re-
nfained obdurate were at last sent
back distance OF fifteen kilometers
70 weave revetmentS, gabions, etc.
At later stage they were marched
forward again, and when they refused
to work We're once more attacked
With rife butts ard bayonets. Finally
they were surrounded by detach-
ment of cavalry, who priched them
with lances. struck them with butt
ends, and rode over them with their
horses. At last they had to yield.
Such treatment as this was only a
small part of their sufferings. In
spite of the excessive work, to which
they were driven like cattle, they
were given less than the modicum of
food reasonable for subsistence.
Their total diet consisted of 400
grams of bread per day, turnip and
water for dinner, and coffee for break
fast and supper. They were never
Given meat ard never even potatoes.
Over-work combined with semi
starvation reduced them TO utter
feebleness ard in appearance to
walking skeletons But toll was
never RENTED
More Torture of Prisoners
In the case of prisoners refusing to
work on the enemy's defences, bar
barous punishments were frequently
inflicted. Holes a metre deep were
dug and filed with water and men
! were made to stand in them for hours.
But the worst devilry was "crucifix-
ion." The Russian prisoner whose
report is here chronicled gives a de-
tailed description of this practice as
| applied to himself. He had attempted
10 escape and was caught. AS pun
| ishment he was tied to tree for
1 three hours. His wrists were twisted
high behind his back ard bound with
| thin wire to the tree. Thin wire was
them drawn tightly below his knees
| the loose root on which he stood was
kicked away, and he was left hang
/ ing by his wrists. After three hours
| he lost consciousness. was lowered
4 to the ground, and was caned on the
1 feet until he came to life again
1 Forthwith he was dragged to the
guard house where he remained in a
1 dark cell for twenty two days or
bread ard water. Orly once, on the
Twelfth dav, was he allowed to as
lcend temporarily to the light On
the expiration Of his sentence he was
put to work with others. They worked
| fifteen hours daily, ten at heavy Ia
bour and five or lighter work in gar
lrison.