Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-04-03
HEROIC BELC|ANS
DEF|ED GERMANS
Kept Underground Railway to
Holland Working All
Through War.
SECRET SYSTEM never IDLE
Scores Of Patriots Shot or Imprisoned
by Huns in Attempt 10 Smash Bel.
gian Organization - Die
Rather Than Tell.

Paris.--Stories Of heroism, patriot
ism and devotion Of Belgisns during
the German occupation are continually
coming to the surface Of the miasmal
pool of intrigue, treachery and selfish
ness which the Germans left behind IN
Belgium.
How two men gave up their lives and
two went to prison for Il period which
would have lasted 20 years had the
Germans been victorious, that the man
"higher up" might live and continue
managing the underground Organiza-
ton which was sending valuable in
formation out of occupied country has
now been related by AdOlphe Buyl, the
man who. life was saved by their sac
rifice.
Struggled Fighters Out Of Belgium.
Late In 1911 The Germans had not
organized the Dutch frontier with that
murderCus efficiency which sent to
their graves many young Belglans at
tempting to cross into Holland. Buyl
had access TO the seals Of the munich
pality and every evening In various
out.of-the-w cafes, 20, 80, sometimes
as many as so young men would as
semble, reaching the place singly and
by devious ways. Passports and iden'
tifcation blanks were there, and the
Young men would emerge from the
cafes supplied with proper, or rather
improper, Identification and make their
way into Holland and thence join the
Belgian army battling on the User.
More than 1000 men were sent out
between October, 1914, and February,
1915.
Then the Germans became aware OF
the leak, and the frontier was hermet'
ically, electrically sealed and the WORK
became more dangerous and dihlcult.
Guides had to be provided-generally
smugglers of gasoline and other COM
modites across the Dutch border-who
for q consideration averaging 90 francs
for each man would pilot them across
the frontier. Rubber gloves and wire
cutters were necessary tools OF their
trade. and many German sentry was
found by his relief with knife deeply
sunk in his throat and lying alongside
a break in the wire fence.
At no time were there fewer than
100 men engaged in the work All
were volunteers degirous of serving
their country, even at the risk or BE-
ing stood against the wall and shot,
and as a matter of fact, many OF them
We're.
Died Rather Than Tell.
The first member Of the organiza'
ton to be taken by the Germans was
PHILIPPE Baucq, whose arrest was 81
multaneOus with that of Edith Cavell.
the English nurse, whose execution by
Germans sent thrill of hOrrO!
throughout the world. Baucq was shot
on October IL, 1915, with the brave
English nurse.
Baucq was succeeded as Buyrs
right-hand man by another man named
Dubois. On June 1, 1915, Dubois
with GO others, was arrested and Inn
prisoned at Hasselt. The Germans
boasted that they had smashed the Bel
CLAN organization which had evaded
them for two years. Dubois and three
others were shot and sentences aggre'
eating 22O years were imposed upon
the others.
Both Baucq and Dubois knew that
Alderman Buyl was head Of the organ
ization and both took their orders
from him. For days before the exc
cution the Germans endeavored by OF
fering to spare their lives to induce
them to denOunce their leader, but
they refused and were shot. Never
theless the work went on.