Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-07-25
German, Prisons
in Belgian To,uns
Are Torture Chambers

Washington. July 24.--German pris-
ons In Belgian towns have become
torture chambers. They are over
crowded. with three or four persons in
a cell. The population has become
callous owing to the long endurance Of
German prosecutions. which are re-
lentless The testimony. OF Belgian
jus. escaped from the Occupied part Of
his country. made public by the Bel
CLAN legation stated:
I'VE have reached a stage in Bel
GUM when people become casual The
arrests made from time to time are
not SO much due to the skill OF the
German secret police as to gross care
lessness of those who brave the rigor
of the German DEGREES. as their COM
patriots on the Iser front brave their
shellfirc.
German pressure has become re-
lentless. We are far from the time
when Won der Goltz promised to re-
spect the peoples patriotic feelings
aAd when Won Kissing tried artificial!y
to provoke resumption Of the coun-
try's economic activity. Politically and
economically the Belgians beyond the
front have also to withstand fierce
offensive. The Germans are decided to
plumber the country and to suppress
at any price all patriotic activity.
Never has the secret police worked so
hard. II is composed mostly Of a crowd
OF commercial agents who raveled all
over Belgium before the war. A school
has been opened in Brussels, where.
under the direction Of Mr.. Bergen.
formerly chief OF police Of a large
German town. those people are taught
the tricks of the trade. Under the least
prctext. such as a mere suspicion or
an anonymous letter, the most honor
able citizens arc arrested. Imprisoned
and completely isolated
''The prisons Of Tnrnhout, Antwerp
and Charieroi have been converted
into torture chambers.
sIn Turnhout a German officer called
F1ieger strikes the accused in the
face wit ha whip. Gin Antwerp the two
brothers Meyer and the director Of the
prison. are the chief torturers.
Several of their victims have be-
come mad. II brutal force fails. the
Germans try to extract confession
thru false promises. as in the case of
q citizen OF Brussels who had been
corresponding with his son at the
front His letters having been seized
he was solemnly promised II he men,
toned the name Of the messenger the
latter would not be prosecuted He
was weak enough TO speak. and his
accompiice was condemned ito eight
months solitary confinement. II this
method fails, the examiners adopt
sterner means, depriving the prisoner
OF food. drugging him and then spy
ing on him In his sleep. or put in his
cell spy in disguise who will try to
gain his confidence.
The prisons are overcrowded, three
and four men being confined in cell
designed for one man. The beddings
ar not changed for months, and the
prisoners receive one towel a month.
which must be used for everything.
Most of the food is UNBEATABLE and the
Observation-Disclosures accused or con-
victed-are subjected to the worst i'll
treatment. II they do not Jump into
position before their guards. If they
speak in the court yard, II they turn
the head when at attention. they are
mercilessly struck in the face. Some
times during the night those who are
condemned to deportation are warned
to be ready to go in the early morn
ing. If they shout with anger or even
cry with pain at receiving the news
their guards rush into the cell and
knock them about until they fall
senseletss on the floor.
"As a lawyer, am able to give some
details OH the sitting Of the German
military court. In Brussels these sit
tings take placein a large room on the
second fioors of the ministry of the
navy.
"The Burgess sits from 9 O'Clock in
the morning until late at night. The
public prosecutor. after explaining the
case in German, examines the German
agents and the witnesses for the
prosecution. The advocate usually
chosen by the accused's relatives has
most difficult and painful task, as he
can not interview his client. He knows
virtually nothing OF the case when he
comes into court and has to improvise
his defense during the proceedings.
The accused 10 cross examined in Ger
man, the questions being translated
by an interpreter. The severity Of the
German judges is well known. No
week passes without three or four
executions taking place. In Antwerp
twenty -four persons were recently
condemned to death in one day.
1.-THE Germans themselves estimate
at 100, 600 q year the number of con-
formations and the fines inflicted on
the, Beigians. Tho this figure is GER
tainly below the mark, such persecu-
tons Only affect minority and are
not the worst evil the people have to
stand.
There is a more severe trial which
infiicts untold sufferings on the whole
nation and which threatens the very
existence of every Belgian home-the
cost Of food and fuel. The bread.
of Indian corn, rye and pota-
toes. is unsuitable for children and
old people.
THE rich people are spending their