Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-24
Italian Prisoners
Suffer Terribly ct
Hands of Austrians

llOHlS IcCShtly iiohh TeSNi'ob PH-SS''
camps is Lieut. Carlo Cagnoli, who con-
firms all the tales Of horror already
told and adds more details of Austrian
refinement in barbarity.
He was at Onslavia during an Aus
trian counter attack in which he was
wounded and captured. Taken to the
prisons of Gorilla, he passed two
days without receiving even a drop
Of water to revive him or the sight
est attention to his wound. He was
left to attend to that himself as best
he could.
He was taken from there with five
other Italian officers to Asaling in
quarantine, and was passed along to
Mauthausen. On leaving Georgia to
take the road to Prevacina. they
were obliged to submit to atrocious
insults from an Infatuated soldiery.
as well as from the civilians who
were embittered against Italy. Arriv-
ing at Mauthausen they were left two
day without food while the majority
were slipped of their good wooden
clothes and obliged to put on nauseat-
ing rags which had been used before
without washing.
Lieutenant Cagnoli said 1t often
happened that nothing was given
prisoners for two or three days I'M
der the pretext that the provisions
for them had failed to reach the camp.
II no packages from home were re-
reived meanwhile, they were unable
to get anything but water. On the
days when packages from home did
arrive, the Austrians invariably req
fused to serve anything whatever. He
had seen italian soldiers rummage
thru garbage heaps and devour the
scraps Of potato and other food TO
appease their hunger.
Glover was served" Lieutenant
Cagonlia added. as a pretext for
food. Meanwhile an order of the Aus
trian commander forbade us to write
home that we were hungry or III.
AT the Mauthausen camp. which
stands about three miles from the
left bank OF the Danube. know that
many prisoners died from exposure III
mid winter. The mercury sometimes
fell to 20 degrees below zero IL tn"
night and rose the following day to
about II below. The prisoners live in
huts built Of coarse boards, no pains
the cracks and holes. TIE wind and
snow entered freely. and they were
still more uncomfortable when 1t
rained Only twenty-five pounds of
charcoal were allowed to each shack
every three days for heating"
A few days before he came away.
Lieutenant Cagnolia had opportunity
to see camp reserved for Italian
soldiers He was Mortified by the
sight. He found the men who were
able to stand. dragging themselves
about like automotons, their supple
ness all gone. their faces ashen, their
eyes too often without sight Few
could speak above whisper or talk
coherently. Their limbs were little
better than bones. and their rags
might have been hung on bean poles
with as good effect. A few strolled
aimlessly and hopelessly about the
stockade.
II have seen with my own eyes"
Lieutenant Cagnoli continued SOL
diers compelled to pass in mid-win-
ter from the hospital to a place where
they went for treatment several hum
bred yards away clad only in draw
bitten feet and Italian physician who
has seen the men who get back are
OF common occurrence, will tell you.
"The disease which claims by far
the largest number Of victims is tu-
berculoss. This Is increased ire
mendously by the entire lack OF san
itation, or any pretext at hygiene. 1t
is enough to say that beds are used
over and over without disinfection
after their occupants are carried out
dead. One bed vacated by consump-
tive was taken for sufferer from
another dread disease, exposing the
attedants and others in the ward.
All medicines are lacking absolutely.
and the Austrians refuse to give them
thought.
Terrified BY Order to Work.
"What most terrified the men was'
an order to do manual labor. 1t was
equivalent to a sentence to death in
most cases, but the fortunes. the pri-
walton, the cruelties In store for these
unfortunates might be considered
even worse to bear. The soldiers had
ample warning of their fate from the
few emaciated skeletons who rejoined
them alive, exposing bones almost
barred by hunger, and running with
sores.
TN Gorilla and in Bukowina where
many Italians were forced to dig
trenches for the enemy, their cruel
task makers compelled them to per-
form the most odious ard degrading
tasks, until only a breath was left In
the gaunt bodies. II they refused to
work when weak and i'll. they were
lucky If their tasks were not aug
mented to a point that meant death.
This was an end which the Austrian
keepers took as matter Of course,
and regarded with Indifference. The
survivors, reduced to more shadows
Of their former selves, were sent back
to the camp and new men called for
to supply their empty places.
Round Up Prisoners For Work.
when ever the Austrians had need
OF laborers they descended on the en-
campment without warning, sur
rounded the barracks. and. by main
strength, dragged off the men they
thought would answer their purposes.
without regard to fitness or health.
II perchance any of the prisoners had
an linking Ct their comingfi and con-
ceaied themselves to elude the slay-