The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-12
HUN ATROCITIES
ARE CONTINUING
AMONG BELGIANS
Won Kissing Has Worthy
Butcher" Successor in
Gen. Won Falkenhausen.
HUNDRED INNOCENT
PERSONS MURDERED
Outbreaks Of "spy Fever"
Always Results in Slaugh-
ter of Belgians.
CBY MONS. ADoLPH oBEN)

well earned the name of 1.-The bloody
butcher of Belgium but his successor
| Won Faulkenhausen, bids fair to OUT
match his predecessor. This much !
can say without the least fear of con-
tradiction, the terrors of life in Bel
GUM under the rule of Won Kissing
were nothing to the terrors of life
there today under Won Faulkenhaus-
en-.
Belgium and her people, the slaves
of the Hun, have to meet the full fury
of the Hatred that the Germans can
not pour out upon their other enc
mics. Murder, rape, and pillage, are
rifer than they were then first the
tide of invasion swept everything be-
fore it. Many Of my personal friends
| have fallen victims to the German
fury-old women, young girls, boys
they have been shot down without
mercy like 80 many cattle.
| Not very long ago In Client, where I
lived till recently, the authorities ex-
perienced further outbreak of Spy
fever" a disease they periodically suf-
fer from. When this complaint
approaches the Germans make whole
in all quarters of the town, marched
away to a military court of inquiry
given a mock trial, and after suffering
all the tortures possible for human be-
ings to suffer, they are shot. I have
been made to witness the most terrible
murders by the German soldiers.
100 Innocents Murdered
Two months ago 100 people were
rounded up and marched away. All
were charged with spying for the enc
mics of the Fatherland. Yet 1 can
vouch that not one was guilty. The
people were condemned either to
death or to long terms of imprison-
ment; none were found not guilty. One
morning a batch Of Is were taken
from prison and lined up beside a
wall. Each person was called by
name to step forward before the COM
mander of Client, and the following
series of questions was put:
care you willing to confess to your
crime and thus save your life?'
will you give the names Of those
associated with your
"Are you prepared, if pardoned, te
assist the cause of Germany"
courageously in the negative.
Among the prisoners condemned to
death were the father, mother and
three girls all of one family. I knew
them all well. They were charged
with spying. All refused resolutely to
answer the questions, protesting their
innocence. Before the eyes of the
daughters both father and mother
| e1oa tall -
them but Is years of age, were again
brought before the commander and
asked if they would give the names
of their accomplices.
1--WE have none,' they said, and the
German ordered them to be thrashed
and cast into prison until the next
day. Once again they were taken out,
and made to stand over the bodies of
their dead parents, which had been
allowed to remain where they had
fallen on the previous day. It was too
much for the girls. Both tainted as
they saw the bodies, and whilst they
lay there unconscious they were shot.
1t is not an uncommon thing for
both men and women to be thrashed
with hot irons, which burn into their
, bare flesh, in order to make them
denounce others.
, But perhaps the worst feature of all
is the treatment of the Huns towards
women who may be charged. Young
girls and women are regarded while
in prison as the lawful prey of the Of
ficers and non-ccmmissioned officers
} Even though condemned to death
more than one young girl has beer
kept alive, and made to suffer ter.
;, ribly while in prison at the hands Of
i the officers until some new victim haC
! been found. Then when they have ne
u further use for the girl she is taker
= out and shot.
1t is a penal offence for any one tt
: take letters out of Belgium, no mat
e ter how innocent the letters may be
: All manner of traps are laid to catcI
Il the unsuspecting Belgian. know O.
t one instance where a German non
commissioned officer, having a spit,
: against man in Client, asked him t.
IL convey letter to another German
t quartered in another part of Client
Fearing to refuse the German, tn,
Belgian complied with the request
. and was given a letter. He had no
gone far along the street before h
} was arrested. Loudly protesting hi
innocence, the man was dragged of
before a Court of Inquiry and tn
e document the sergeant had given hin
was taken away. It was found t
contain forged, letter addressed t
the mans son, who was known to b
fighting in the Belgian Army, givin
u many details regarding conditions i
l. Belgium.
Is The sergeant who gave the man tn
"a letter went into the witness-box a
% the trial. and swore he hadAno know
ledge of it, that the writil on tn
70 envelope was not his, as was late
~ proved He admitted, however, tina
y he gave the information which cause
the mans arrest, and for the way /
8 which he had acted the German wa
" rewarded
le The Belgian was condemned t
{ death, and actually suffered the per
IS atty. More than one German soldie
n and non-commissioned officer hs
q. earned promotion by trapping innc
K cent Belgians, and securing their cor
viction.
ly Knowing I vast. @rested-ha1
d. ing incurred the az 7er Of a Germa
OF officer-I made my way out of Chen
is and for weeks tramped the count1
of until 1 reached the Dutch frontie
Everywhere I found friends. SUI
st rounded by enemies, plunged into til
It's deepest depths of misery. Little one
n. |: lad had their parents torn from thel
ag + their fathers shot, their mothers,
'rt bung,s sent to Germany to a fat
( brse than 0eath. They were left I