The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-01-18
WRITTEN RECORD
OF ATROCITIES
Diaries of German Soldiers Tell
of Murder and PiIIage in
Belgian Cities.
CALLED "DIsGRAcE TO ARMY"
No Discrimination Made Between In
nocent and Guilty-Infants Shot
In Dead Mothers Arms-Tes-
timony Of Brand WhitIock.

In Dead Mothers Arms-Tes-
timony Of Brand WhitIock.
Very many German soldiers who
haze been taken prisoner had kept
and these haze been confs-
Gated by the captors. Many haze
been published, frequently avith fac
simile reproductions to guarantee
their authenticity. The following
extracts, with the testimony Of
Brand Whitlock, are made public by
the committee on public information
at Washington:
"Aug. %. Our men came back
and said that at the point where the
valley joined the Mouse we could not
get any further, as the villagers were
shooting at us from every house. We
shot the whole lot-16 of them. They
were drawn up in three ranks; the
same shot did for three at time.
>. The men had already shown
their brutal instincts; :. ..
1.-THE. sight of the bodies Of all the
inhabitants who had been shot was
indescribable. Every house in the
whole village was destroyed. We
dragged the villagers one after an
other out Of the most unlikely corners.
The men were shot as well as the
women and children who were in the
convent, since shots had been fired
from the convent windows; and we
burnt it afterwards.
''The inhabitants might have es-
capped the penalty by handing over the
guilty and paying $1,000 francs.
''The inhabitants fired on our men
again. The division took drastic
steps to stop this, the villages being
burnt and the inhabitants being shot.
The pretty little village of Cue
dOssus, however, was apparently set
on fire without cause. A cyclist fell
off his machine and his rifle went off.
He Immediately said he had been shot
at. All the inhabitants were burnt
in the houses. I hope there will be no
more such horrors.
"Disgrace to Our Army"
"At Leppe apparently 200 men were
shot. There must have been some in
nocent men among them. In future
we shall have to hold an inquiry as
to their guilt instead Of shooting
them.
''In the evening we marched to
Notwithstanding. Just as we were
having our meal the alarm was sound
ed-everyone is very iumpy.
September 3. Still at Rethel, on
| guard over prisoners. The houses
are charming inside. The middle class
in France has magnificent furniture.
! We found stylish pieces everywhere
and beautiful silk, but in what a state
Good God! Every bit of
furniture broken, mirrors smashed
The Vandals themselves could not
have done more damage. This place
is disgrace to our army. The In
| habitants who fed could not have ex
pected, of course, that all their goods
would have been left intact after sc
many troops had passed. But the col
ulnn commanders are responsible FOL
the greater part of the damage, as
they could have prevented the footing
and destruction. The damage amounts
have been attacked.
Gin solicitors house, in which, a.
luck would have it, ali was in excel
lent taste, including a collection o.
old lace and Eastern works of art
everything was smashed to bits.
81 could not resist taking little
memento myself here and there.
One house was particularly elegant
everything in the best taste. The hal
was of light oak; I found splendid
raincoat under the staircase and {
camera for Felix" (Froln the diar.
of an officer in the One Hundret
Seventy-eighth regiment, Twelfth Sax
on corps.)
But his horror apparently was ITO
shared by the German commander II
chief, as is evident from the follow
ing:
"Orcer.
'"To the People of Liege.
1.-THE population Of Andenne, afte
making a display Of peaceful inter
tons toward our troops, attacked theI
in the most treacherous manner. Wit
my authorization, the general CON
handing these troops has reduced tn
town to ashes and has had Ito person
shot.
81 bring this fact to the knowledg
of the people of Liege in order tha
they may know what fate to expe<
should they adopt similar attitude.
"Liege, 22d August, 1914.
GENERAL Won BUELOW."
Brand Whitlock Writes eff Massacre
In his report of September II, l9l
to the secretary of state, Mlniste
Whitlock has much to tell Of the pc
icy of frightfulness. The folloWln
passages refer to the subject of ma
sacres:
"Summary executions took place {,
Dinantl without the least SemDlan(