that this old man fired upon them. M. Riklin denied
this statement. Colin, we are told, was a harmless person, absolutely
incapable of an aggressive act, and completely ignorant of the means
of using a firearm.

It appeared to us desirable to deal also at Luneville with acts which
are less grave, but which throw a peculiar light on the habits of
thought of the invader. On Aug. 25 M. Lenoir, 67 years of age,
together with his wife, were led into the fields with their hands tied
behind their backs. After both had been cruelly ill-treated, a
non-commissioned officer took possession of 1,800 francs in gold which
M. Lenoir carried on him. As we have already stated, the most impudent
theft seems to have formed part of the customs of the German Army, who
practiced it publicly. The following is an interesting example:

During the burning of a house belonging to Mme. Leclerc, the safes of
two inhabitants resisted the flames. One, belonging to M. George,
Sub-Inspector of Waters and Forests, had fallen into the ruins; the
other safe, belonging to M. Goudchau, general dealer, remained fixed
to a wall at the height of the second story. The non-commissioned
officer, Weiss, who was well acquainted with the town, where he had
often been welcomed when he used to come before the war to carry on
his business of hop merchant, went with the soldiers to the place and
ordered that the piece of wall which remained standing should be blown
up with dynamite, and saw that the two safes were taken to the
station, where they were placed on a truck destined for Germany. This
Weiss was particularly trusted and esteemed by the persons in command.
It was he who, installed at Headquarters, was given the duty of
administering the commune in some sense, and was in charge of the
requisitioning.

After having committed numerous acts of pillage at Luneville, after
having burned about seventy houses with torches, petrol, and various
incendiary machines, and after having massacred peaceful inhabitants,
the German military authorities thought it well to put up the
following proclamation, in which they formulated ridiculous
accusations to justify the extortion of enormous contributions in the
form of an indemnity:

NOTICE TO THE POPULATION.

On Aug. 25, 1914, the inhabitants of Luneville made an
attack by ambuscade against the German columns and
transports. On the same day the inhabitants fired on
hospital buildings marked with t