Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-11
TALES OF BELGIAN VALOR
COME TO LIGHT IN PEACE
With End OF War, World Learns
OF Wonderful Bravery uf
Heroic Men.
PARLIAMENT MEMBER HELPS
Aided Moro Than 1000 Young Men
To Pass Thruuah German Lines
Into Holland, Whence They Joined
Fighting Forces In France.

/ pEuSSfls. Feb ,o--tspcc;ap. s,o-
( rt"s OF hrroiSn. patriotism and dcvo !
! lion or Bclyians during the GcrmaH
/ occupation are contiuuaily coming ii
Z tr'suc. trcachcry and sclfshucSs which
the Germans loft behind in belgium,
and ,' two '% w.n ;ren T mr;s up their lives
Which would have lasted twenty wears
had the Germans been victorious. tina,
the man "ht.hcr up might live and
con,inuc managing tho underground
organization which was sending valu-
anlc INFORMATION out OF the occupied
Associated Press corresponding. hv The
man whose life was saved by their
Adoiphec Buyl, lihera, member or the
Belgian Parliament. alderman of the
nci* is the man FOR whom, two men
nicd and who for four years conducted
Che. orGaniaation and lived continual.
Late III ,?lt the Germans had not
organized the Dutch frontier with chat
inurderous efficiency which Sen, 10
their graves many young Rcigians al
tempting TO cross into Holland. Buyl
hH% aces, to The seals OF tho munici-
out "t the way. cafes, twenty. thirty
sometimes as many as ffty young men
and by devious ways. The seal OF tn.
'nuniCirality was there in tho hand Of
nor a"t asa nn vdT p %Ishk, rssr
there. and the young men womid
emerge from the cafes supplied with
lion and mako their way into Holland
; :i thence join the Belgian army bat
n,ns w Sn the ss, isSr; M9re than 1000
1919. and February, 1915.
THE HUNS DISCOVER LEAK
AND TIGHTEN LINES
Then the Germans became aware OF
the leak and tho frontier was herrnet-
ica lily. electrically scaled and the work
nctAinc more dangerous and difficult.
smuggiera OF gasoline and other com
rnod!ties across the Dutch border--who
Tor a consideration averaging 80 francs
for each man. would pilot them across
the frontier. Rubber gloves and wire
cutters were necessary tools OF their
iradc and ,nany a German sentry was
found by his relief with a knife deeply
sunk in his throat and lying alongside
break ~ tho wire Tense,
At no time We're there less than 100
mon engaged in tho work. They in
cludcd railroad Station masters. cross
ing tenders mail carriers. cafe keepers
and many others in humble walks OF
life. ali volunteers DESTROYS of serving
their country, even at tho risk OF being
stood against the wall and shot. and
two or three men engaged in tho work
know that Buyl was the man higher
Up"
The first member OF the organization
i 70, nh be ,isen by the Germans was
mu il with that OF Edith i ca caveii,
the English nurse whose execution by
G ,hlanass, sent ,st thrill Of horror
English nurse. Miss cavel. however.
WAS never charged by the Germans
CLANS and others 10 escape from Eel
| GUM.
Bauca was succeeded as Buyl's right
Dubois. On June l, 1916. Dubois. with
sixty others, was, arrested and i'm
oas,ed that H thsH had rhs Ges Rs
Belgian organization which had evaded
them for two years. Dubois and three
oihsrs were shot on September Is.
years were imposed upon others ac-
cused OF acting with them.
DIED RATHER THAN BETRAT
HEAD OF ORGANIZATION
Both Baucq and Dubois knew that
Alderman Buyl was head Of the or
sanization. and both took their orders
from him. For days before the exc
cution the Germans underworld by
, Offering TO spare their lives to induce
them 10 denounce their leader. but
they refused, and were shot. Never
theless, the work went on.
In 1917, Buyls secretary was arrest
cd. ana Buyl went into hiding.
For nights J could not sleep BUZZ
told the Associated Press the slight
EST noise would make me start.
could not eat. and there were moments
or depression when / would gladly
nave raced Il machine gun at the edge
OF little wood to escape the mental
torture OF those long, endless days and
!nterminable nights" His secretary
esesped With itan h short sentence Buy,
wen; Oh about his work
Two days before the armistice I
gent on; d courier TO Holland" he said,
! with q tinsc Of pride.
'Heroism is the work Of an instant
! but what have gone through during
| those lat four years is not heroism
! ~ is hell" said Buyl. Before the war
/ nc Is now ernaciatcd and haxgard, but