m
on a cart as far as Vaudoy and murdered them. An inhabitant of
Voinsles, named Cartier, suffered the same fate. As he passed on his
bicycle along a road a little way from Vaudoy, he was stopped by the
Germans, who searched his bag, in which was a revolver. Cartier,
without any resistance, gave up his weapon of his own accord. His eyes
were bandaged, and he was shot then and there.
On the 8th of September at Sablonnieres, where there were scenes of
general pillage, M. Delaitre, who had left his house during the battle
to take refuge under a culvert, was discovered in his hiding place by
a German soldier, who fired at him five times; he died the same day.
[Illustration: GENERAL CASTELNAU
One of the Most Conspicuous of the French Commanders.]
[Illustration: GENERAL DUBAIL
Commanding the French Forces Operating Around Verdun.
(_Photo_ (C) _International News Service._)]
At the same place, M. Jules Griffaut, 66 years of age, was herding his
cows peacefully in a field, when a detachment of the enemy passed 150
meters from him. A soldier who was alone in the rear of the column
took aim at him, and shot him in the face. It is proper to add that a
German officer took the trouble to have the wounded man attended to by
a German army doctor, and that Griffaut recovered fairly soon.
At Rebais, on the 4th of September, at 11 in the evening, the Germans,
after pillaging the jeweler's shop of M. Pantereau and loading the
goods which they had taken on to a cart, set fire to the house. They
also burned three private houses in the Rue de l'Etang by throwing
lighted straw into them.
In this little town serious acts of violence were committed. M.
Auguste Griffaut, 79 years of age, was treated with horrible
brutality. They repeatedly struck him on the head with their fists. A
revolver shot grazed his head. His watch and his purse, containing 800
francs, were stolen from his person.
On the same day, some German soldiers grossly ill-treated Mme. X., a
wine-shop keeper, aged 29, on the pretense that she was hiding English
soldiers. They undressed her and kept her in the middle of them
completely naked for one and a half hours; then they tied her to her
counter, giving her to understand that they were going to shoot her.
They were, however, called out just then, and went away, leaving their
victim in charge of an Alsatian soldier, who untied her and restored
her to liberty.
Again, on the 4th of September, other soldier
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