Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-17
TRAGEDY IF LOyvA|N'S
R.|N NOW UNVEILED
Hun Insulted Belgian Burgo-
masters Daughter; Brother
Killed Him; City De
stroycd in Reprisal.


to the Senate Committee ON Propaganda |
by Grant Squires, New York lawyer, one
of the pioneers in Belgian relief work and !
now IN officer of the Military Intelligence |
Service. He told the story apparently with |
reluctance. Senator Nelson brought out
this testimony, apparently to offset that
OF Edmund Won Mach on the same sub
ject.
IL entered Belgium in November, 1914
and helped in the organization oi the
relief committee in I.Icge, Namur, Char
lcroi, Mons, Iouvain and one or two
smaller towns" said MIR. Squres,
81 saw cities levelcd to the ground,
civilian populations driven out OF their
homes with the butts OF rifles, old men
and women Drained because they did not
work fast enough to suit their new rulers IN
the baking of bread. | saw places where
babies were crucitled on inc doofs OF
houses saw bread lines.
81 have seen mothers bring 10 me their
babies To give them food, which could
not give them, because II was not possible
To carry il around IN quantities To iced
thousand or two thousand IN town.
have seen the insults of the German
soldiery. mostly dr,inkards, visited on
women whom thcv met IN the streets
mir. Souires gives for the first time
the reason for the reckless destruction OF
Louvain).
Jouvain was destroyed to degree, for
an offcnse committed, am told, 10y the
daughter of the mayor OF the city, who
was entertaining the first incoming general
officers Of the German Army that were
occupying Louvain. ] verified this as far
as possible when the events were only
few days old by speaking with some who
were present.
1T seems the incoming generals were
being entertained hy the burgomaster IN
his home He called upon his daughter to
bring IN some cigars and light wine for the
guests While she was bringing IN the
cigars and wine, one Of the officers offered
her an insult, which She did not note AT
the time or make any reference TO, but
during the evening word of 1T came to the
brother Of the Young woman, whcreupon,
with less consideration than he should
have had for his father guest, he went in
and shot the man dead in the presence of
the other German officers. Whereupon
thew left the Office of the mayor, and the
next day the section of the town where the
mayor's office WAS and where the family
resided. was burned about one-third OF
the city, including the university and the
town hall The handsome section OF
INuNBtH WAS UtGbihNfN tiitht htaf
has been no other explanation gwen for
the destruction. If was the penalty for the
o.fcnse committed against those visiting
German officers
NV recollection IS that they attcrward
killed the woman IN the case.
Following are the questions OF Sena-
tors Nelson and overman and Mr.. Squires
replies which tells o. the crucliiNlon of
Rclqians and other horrors
Senator Overman--ln regard TO ILL
treatment OF women, was that done IN
the presence Of German officer. or by
drunken soldiers who were skylarkng?
Mr.. Squres-It was mostly the work
Of private soldiers. ! do not think the
German officers were quite gIiiltless. At
the doors OF houses ] have heard the
shrieks oi women upstairs recovering
from their treatment Of the night before.
They knew no difference between a Ger
man and man from come other country.
and for that reason were afraid 70 open
the door to give me something % eat. 1t
was mostlya case of trying 10 pacify these
people, In view OF the treatment they had
received, and to let them feel that better
davs were coming, in the Way Of food at
least. 1t is not pretty picture TO be called
on to redraw, and | had hoped that |
would not be asked TO do it. The mistake
that ] made was 10 come back here
Senator Overman-I suppose Senator
Nelson asked you those questions be
| cause Of statement that was made here
Senator Nelson-I asked you these
questions TO meet the imputation Of Won
Mach. who appeared here as u witness
the other day, and who insinuated in one
form or another that the treatment of the
, Belgian people by the German soldiers in
| 1914 was not worse than our soldiers had
| treated the people Of the South in Sher-
mans march TO the sea; and he also re-
| ferred, think. to the Philippine Islands.
Mr. Squires-They did not GO through
| the country according to any practice of
similar warfares IN the past that | know
| anything about.
Senator Nelson They destroyed these
villages, absolutely-ruinedt them?
Mr. Squires-Yes, Senator. for the
purpose of the terrorization of the people,
to reduce their morale and their ability
to withstand the advance Of the German
armies
Senator Nelson-And they crucifed
children
Mir Squires-I have had places pointed
out to me by fathers who had been crazed
by the sight of their children hanging on
door bells the night before. One man took
me up to a door and showed me the nail
points in the door where his little baby
had been nailed the night before, because
the baby got in the way of the German
guard of four or FIVE men and in some Way
hindered their passage: one Of the men
snatched up the baby and held it up
against the door, probably in their drunk
enness, nailed it up against the door, and
il was dead in FIVE minutes. ! suppose
i l.
child?
Mr. Squires-No The child was not
permitted to remain there more than
minute or two after the soldiers went on
know it is very difficult to believe these
stories, gentlemen, and that IS one reason
why / hesitate to tell them-becalse
am met by the perfectly respectful ques-
tioning attitude Of Senator King that
is your name, Sir; but | have seen all that
have told you myself