Grand Forks herald., 1918-08-28
!! ]: !. ARE \ ! I
|. BADLY | | Ed ]
BY The I | | ! HUNS / ! 5
Many N 4 Italian ! ! War \ Al, Prisoners
Make Daring Escapes from
Austrian Prisons. :.
Special Correspondence Of the Italian,
American News Bureau

. - =. Il T. l.. is,
Special Correspondence Of the Italian,
American News Bureau.
Milan. italy, july 2o.-The daring
oners from the concentration CAMPS
in Austria, and the revelations they
have made of the inhuman. treatment
the Austrians have forced upon their
captives and the Inhabitants Of the in
vaded parts Of Italy. are augmented
every day by the new arrivals within
the Italian lines.
An officer from the Venetian Prov
inces is authority for the description.
of the invasion. ~
THE first days Of the occupation
We're hard for the Inhabitants" he
said. THE enemy soldiers, flushed
with victory. Went through the streets
shouting and Disappearing They en-
tered houses and smashed doors and
windows. They forced the granaries
and provision stores and gorged
themselves in the wine cellars. In
drunken frenzy they continued their
epl1nters. and throwing heavy pieces
out Of windows in their mad jubilia.
tion. n ,;s ~ a I ~ 9
The young women. seized with
terror, hid from the sight, Of the bar
barians and barricaded themselves
In the darkest holes. Nevertheless
outrage was common.
An oficer fleeing like myself from
Austria told me he had flung Ger
man soldier into the street. at San
Michele di Piave because he was
trying to force a. young girl de-
fore her mothers eyes. The rufiian
had already stabbed an old man who
tried to- rescue the girl.
Girl Leaps to Death for Honor.
"A soldier, also escaped from pris-
on, told in turn of having seen the
body Of a young girl in the street>in
the suburbs Of Polvenigo, who had
flung herself from a window to escape
iron two German officers. The wo-
men and old folks of the neighb bor-
hoo4 had gathered, crying and curs-
! ing The invader. !.
t'"rhe same soldier, finding himself
one day at Stevena di Canevas was
threatened with, q revolver by two
other German officers for not having
deserted a girl at their behest, wheg
the mother had called on him for pro.
lection in her despair. He heard of
the outrage afterwards and the fury
1t aroused among the inhabitants. :
Severe orders were issued to abate
the scourge, but the other sufferings
inflicted on the population were not
reduced. Regulated pillage took. the
tplace Of sacking cities. Houses were
what was saved from the greed. Of
the soldiers, went to the rulers.
Cereals, vegetables. Oil. soap, furni-
ture, manufactures, linens, clothing.
shoes. were. all picked over. and
everything of value was shipped off
to the interior Of Austria. Il
| For q while the trains loaded with
the curious loot went to the people
living on the. Isonzo, it was said, to
All the balls Weighing more than 100
pounds we're taken objects Of brass
and copper were seized, and the care
ful searches we're multiplied 4, with
hnes and assessments rs tfast e.,t =
Women Threaten Violence. {, 4
! The life Of the people is one long
insult Many women say with an
guish they see in the time not far of
when. there will be no food for them
selves or their children They pro-
fees their intention to resort to any
violence. Since the Austrians like
wise are bent on extravagant meas
ures Of extortion it is not easy to see
how the shedding Of innocent blood
can be long averted.
| The clergy which at first tried to
receive the invader with an attitude
Of benevolent neutrality, has been
alienated from the Austrians little by
4 little as a result Of the frequent per-
secutions, and now openly takes the
side Of the oppressed population.
The officer related that a parish
priest who came to a>passage in the
liturgy invoking the divine blessing
| upon our sovereign and the happi-
ness Of Italy" did not stop at the
words, although there were present
many Austrian soldiers. They left
the sanctuary in anger. but did not
dare to take the daring priest to>task.
When they do not use force the
Austrians are adopts in chicanery:
They buy freely at the stores and
offer; in payment their own paper
4 bearing such inscriptions az Payable
1 by Cadorna," or Payable by Jesus
Christ" None Of the stores taken on
regulation army orders have been
paid for thus far. The Austrians are
trying to put the largest amount OF
paper possible in circulation. !.
| Vienna Rakes in All Silver. ,
Our silver is being retired at the
same time to the Golfers OF the treas
ury in Vienna. The process adopted
is simple and ingenious, Private
property cannot be taken except for
silver Of italian coinage. A. large
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