The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1918-03-29
ALLEGED GERMAN ATROCITIES

CONTINUED from page two.)
Wespelaer will be found in the ap-
pendix.
The committee is specially i'm
pressed by the character of the out
RACES committed in the smaller vii
lagos. Many of these are exception
ally shocking and cannot be regard
ed as contemplated or prescribed by
the responsible commanders Of the
troops by whom they were commit
ted. The inference, however, which
we draw from these occurrences is
that when once troops have been en-
couraged in a career of terrorism the
more savage and brutal natures, of
whom there are some in every large
army, are liable to run to wild ex-
cess, more particularly in those re-
gions where they are least subject
to observation and control.
AERSCHOT AND DISTRICT.
Period H., (Aug. $50
Immediately after the battle of
Malines, which resulted in the
evacuation by the Germans of the
district of Malines, Sempst, Hofstade,
and Eppeghem, long series of muir
ders were committed either just be-
fore or during the retreat of the
army Many of the inhabitants who
were unarmed, including women and
young children, were killed-some of
them under revolving circumstances.
Evidence given goes to show that
the death of these villagers was due
not to accident, but to deliberate
purpose The wounds were generally
stabs or cuts, and for the most part
appear to have been inflicted with
the bayonet.
MALINES.
In Malines itself many bodies were
seen. One witness saw a German
soldier cut womans breast after he
had murdered her, and saw many
other dead bodies of women in the
streets.
HOFSTADE.
In Hofstade a number of houses
had been set on fire and many
corpses were seen, some in houses,
some in back yards, and some in the
streets.
Several examples are given below.
Two witnesses speak to having
seen the body of a young man pierced
by bayonet thrusts with the wrists
cut also.
On a side road the corpse of a
civilian was seen on his doorstep
with bayonet wound in his stom-
ach, and by his side the dead body
of a boy of or with his hands
| nearly severed.
The corpses Of woman and boy
were seen at the blacksmith's. They
had been killed with the bayonet.
In a cafe young man, also killed
with the bayonet, was holding his
hands together as If in the attitude
of duplication.
Two young women were lying in
the back yard of the house. One had
her breasts cut off, the other had
been stabbed.
A young man had been hacked
with the bayonet nntil his entrails
protruded. He also had his hands
Joined in the attitude of prayer.
In the garden of house in the
main street bodies of two women
were observed, and in another house
| the body of a boy of 16 with two
bayonet wounds in the chest.
SEMPST.
In Sempst similar condition of
Affairs existed. Houses were burn
ing and in some of them were the
charred remains of civilians.
In bicycle shop witness saw the
burned corpse of a man. Other wit
nesses speak of the incident.
Another civilian, unarmed, was
shot as he was running away. AS
will be remembered, all the arms
had been given up some time before
by order of the Burgomaster.
The corpse of man with his legs
cut off, who was partly bound, was
seen by another witness, who also
saw a girl of II dressed only in a
chemise, and in great distress. She
alleged that she herself and other
girls had been, dragged into a field,
stripped naked, and violated, and
that some of them had been killed
with the bayonet.
WEERDE.-At Weerde four
corpses of civilians were lying in
the road. 1t was said that these |
men had fired upon the German SOL
diers;~ but this is denied The arms