The New York Times Current History, A Monthly Magazine: The European War, March 1915Various
History
The New York Times Current History, A Monthly Magazine: The European War, March 1915
Various
World War, 1914-1918
On the 3d of the same month, at Baron, an artist of great talent,
Prof. Alberic Magnard, fired two shots from a revolver on a troop
which was entering his property. One soldier was killed and another
wounded. The Germans, who in so many places have committed the worst
cruelties without any motive, here contented themselves with burning
the property of their aggressor. The latter committed suicide to avoid
falling into their hands. None the less the commune was sacked. M.
Robert, notary, was robbed of his jewelry, his linen, and of 1,471
bottles of wine, and forced to open his safe and allow an officer to
take 8,300 francs which were locked up there. In the evening he saw
another officer who wore on his finger nine women's rings, and whose
arms were adorned with six bracelets. Two soldiers told him, besides,
that they received a premium of four marks whenever they brought their
commanding officers a piece of jewelry.
In this commune, Mme. X., a most respectable young woman, was violated
by two soldiers in succession in the absence of her husband, who is
with the colors. One of these two men ransacked a chest of drawers
while his comrade was committing his crime.
At Mesnil-sur-Bulles on the evening of the 4th of September two
Germans arrived in a carriage and one on a bicycle and went to the
house of the Deputy Mayor, M. Gustave Queste. As the latter did not
understand them, he asked his cousin, M. Queste, Professor at the
Lycee of Amiens, to act as interpreter for him. After having fulfilled
this office the professor returned home. A few minutes afterward,
hearing a shot, he went out to ascertain what was happening. He found
himself in the presence of one of the three soldiers to whom he had
just spoken in his cousin's house. This man, who was drunk, fired at
him and killed him.
The same three soldiers, passing through Nourard-le-Franc, set fire to
seven houses with torches which they had brought with them in their
carriage. A few hours before their arrival at Mesnil-sur-Bulles a
Uhlan patrol had already made a reconnoissance in this commune.
Troopers entered the house of M. Amedee Queste, burst open a door,
broke the furniture, and stole a quantity of jewelry as well as a sum
of 60 francs.
At Choisy-au-Bac the Germans, who had been in the village since the
31st of August, willfully set fire on the 1st and 2d of September to
forty-five houses under the grossly false allegation that they had
been fired upon, and previously, in the presence of their officers,
gave themselves up to a general pillage, the product of which was
carried away in vehicles stolen from the inhabitants. Two army
doctors, wearing the brassards of the Red Cross, themselves pillaged
the house of Mme. Binder.
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