ALSATION VILLAGE BURNT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15748, 24 October 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

ALSATION VILLAGE BURNT.

GERMANS RUN AMOK

A pathetic story of the wanton destruction of the picturesque Alsatian village of Purgweiler by a horde of drunken German." is recounted for the first time in the Turin Gazetta del Popolo, whose war correspondent has collated the narratives of fugitive survivors. It was on August 15. A thousand villagers were gathered around the image of the Virgin celehrating the festival of the Assumption. German troops who had been pursuing the retreating French were lodged, some outside, some inside the village. Towards mid-day a subordinate cavalry officer rode into the central square on a horse which was fast losing blood from an ugly wound. Soon it dropped to the ground in agony. The officer, whipping out, his revolver, shot the animal dead. Hearing the report, a group of German soldiers, who had been getting tipsy in a wine tavern hard l>\\ raized (heir rifles and ran out into the street, exclaiming, "They're shooting down our men." So they began firing reeklei-sly into houses, and. indeed, fit everybody they chanced to meet. Amidst a strong guard of soldiery all the villagers were next lined up along the principal street, and absolute sihuice was called while ail the menfolk were bidden hold up their arms. Then, towards the hour of sunset, live of their number were told to stand forth and were accused of having fired upon the German troops, and shot. In ibe interval automobiles were busy carrying barrels of petroleum for the de-bti'uiiii-.j lit the place. Bands of troops went from house to house, piling up the furniture in the middle of the groundfloor rooms, saturating it with the same inflammable fluid, and setting the whole on fire. Factories and the larger buildings were wrecked with bombs.