Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-01

woman tells were seen personally
when she went to Belgium early In
| 1914 for the purpose of bringing to
America her aged mother and her chill
dren. Even now, while In Scott county
Mrs. Claerhout Is afraid that the pup
LEGATION of the affidayit will become
known to the Germans and her aged
mother in Belgium killed because or II.
| Feared to Tell Story.
Mrs. Claerhout's story was told as
the result of a patriotic meeting heid
| in Buffalo last week when prominent
| Davenport men spoke there in behalt
! of the United States government. For
months she has been hiding the real
story Of her escape from Belgium be-
cause she feared attacks upon her'
but the speakers aroused her courage
| to a state where she is now willing to
make almost any sacrifices to assist
| the United States authorities.
Mrs. Claerhout's affidavit, In which
| she tells OF her flight with her two
children from Belgium, rivals any, of
the stories that have been told by per-
sons who went thru similar expert
ences. Forced to flee from the in
vaders. she and the children tramped
until the shoes were worn from their
feet. Photographs accompany the affi-
devit showing her passports and her
cards that allowed her to secure cloth
! ing and food for herself and children.
The terrible suffering she endured
! during her flight in August, 1914, is
still apparent in her conversation, ac-
| cording to Justice Westphal. and she
! retains the fear of the Germans that
( We're so deeply impressed upon her IN
! Belgium. Only after repeated requests
! and assurances that she would not be
| harmed was she prevailed upon to sign
| the affidavit relating her experiences.
! The affidavit is as follows:
Text of Affidavit.
state OF Iowa, Scott county, SIS.
Il, Florence Claerhout, being first
duly sworn, on my oath do depose and
say:
That my name is Florence Claer-
| hout I am the wife of Emil Claer-
| hout. ! was born in Lendelede. in the
province Of West Vlaanderen, in Bel
GUM. on Dec. u, 1884. My maiden
name was Florence Ver-Schaete. +
came to America about three years be-
| fore the war broke out in 1914. | now
reside on a farm in Buffalo township.
Scott county. Iowa In August, 1914,
l visited my old home at Lendelede,
Belgium, in the province Of West
Vlaanderen, having gone there in or
der to bring my children, mother and
sister back here to America I LETT
America for Belgium on the 2lst day
of May, 1914.
ON August 4, 1914, I saw the Ger
i,,- 7
| them kill and i!nprison the male citi-
zens OF Lendelede. l saw the German
soldiers rob the people OF my village,
and burn their houses and cut the
fingers from the women and children
for the rings on them. Two young boys
were imprisoned in a house which was
then burned. ! saw children around
Leavio that had their hands cut off
by the German soldiers. | saw wom-
an carrying two buckets Of water and
saw a soldier pass her and draw his
sword and cut off her right hand.
saw the prizes: Of the Catholic church
plead with the soldiers to spare the
saw one Of the soldiers draw his saber
and cut off the priests head
Hun Officers Assault Girls.
q know two young girls IS and 20
years of age vino had to submit TO
| the German officers after serving them
| their dinner. This was tolG to me oy
the girls themselves. I know shortly
after this one Of these two girls be-
| came insane and the other. committed
suicide I saw five young boys shot
by the German soldiers while out rid
ing on their bicycles. knew a young
married couple that had retired for the
night when five soldiers forced the
| door to their room and forced the
woman to submit to them, while others
| stood guard over her hush and with a
revolver. This was told me by the
woman herself.
AT the depot at Vlaandercn I saw
an English soldier wounded tina. mao
no hat or shoes or socks and 1t was
cold and he complained because ne
| suffered with the cold and I found an
old blanket and covered him and then
the soldier on guard knocked me down
| for doing 1t. I saw German soiclers
have in their possession the cut-oH m
gers Of women and children with rings
| on them.
French Aviator Buried Alive.
"I saw a French airplane shot down
| and the aviator wounded, and then
saw the wounded aviator thrown INTO
a mole by the German soldiers ana
buried alive. I could hardly stand the
sight. saw German av!ators fly over
our village and drop bombs on the
people. Under penalty Of death we
were then forced by the German SOL
| dIers to say it was done by the Eng
| lish and French.
Mrs. Peter De Broom and Lillian
Wiueberry told me that they were
| forced to submit to being outraged by
the German soldiers. Mrs. De Broom
/ also told me that her husband came 10
her assistance. and then the soldiers
shot him thru the head, the ball pass
ing thru both checks and sheet iron
| stove.
~ was stopping at a small house
with my mother sister and children
| and a German officer came in and de-
manded that 1 submit to his wishes
He forced me into a small room, oHt
| /; ont i