ms and six
outlying houses were destroyed by gunfire and burned. All the male
population were compelled to come forward and hand over what they
possessed. No recently discharged firearms were found, but the invaders
divided the peasants into three groups. Those in one group were bound
and eleven of them placed in a ditch, whither they were afterward found
dead, their skulls fractured by the butts of German rifles.

"During the night of August 10, German cavalry entered Velm in great
numbers; the inhabitants were asleep. The Germans, without provocation,
fired upon Mr. Deglimme-Gever's house, broke into it, destroyed
furniture, looted money, burned barns, hay, corn stacks, farm
implements, six oxen, and the contents of the farmyard. They carried off
Mme. Deglimme half-naked, to a place two miles away. She was then let go
and was fired upon as she fled, without being hit. Her husband was
carried away in another direction."

Farmer Jeff Dierckx, of Neerhespen, bears witness to the following acts
of cruelty committed by German cavalry at Orsmael Neerhespen, on August
10, 11 and 12:

SHOCKING BARBARITIES.

"An old man of the latter village had his arm sliced in three
longitudinal cuts; he was then hanged head downward and burned alive.
Young girls have been raped and little children outraged at Orsmael,
where several inhabitants suffered mutilations too horrible to describe.
A Belgian soldier belonging to a battalion of cyclist carbineers who had
been wounded and made prisoner was hanged, while another who was tending
his comrade was bound to a telegraph pole and shot."

The sacking of Louvain, which was one of the vile acts of the Germans
during the early days of the war, is described briefly in the report of
the commission as follows:

"The Germans entered Louvain on Wednesday, August 19, after having set
fire to the towns through which they passed.

"From the moment of their having entered the city of Louvain, the
Germans requisitioned lodgings and victuals for their troops. They
entered every private bank of the city and took over the bank funds.
German soldiers broke the doors of houses abandoned by their
inhabitants, pillaged them and indulged in orgies.

"The German authorities took hostages; the mayor of the city, Senator
Vander Kelen, the Vice Rector of the Catholic University, the Dean of
the City; magistrates and aldermen were also detained. All arms down to
fencing foils had been handed over to the to