LIKE A MASSACRE

Southland Times, Issue 19172, 16 February 1924, Page 5

LIKE A MASSACRE

TERRIBLE SCENES ENACTED MADDENED CROWD BUTCHERS FUGITIVES MEN HACKED TO PIECES. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) BERLIN, February 13. Heavy fighting occurred at Pirmasens in the Palatinate, between the inhabitants and the Separatists, for the possession of the Government building, where the’ Separatists had barricaded themselves in. It is reported that fourteen Separatists and three besiegers were killed and twenty besiegers wounded. It is stated that the Separatists fired on and bombarded the crowd which was attempting to storm the building. The latter set fire to the building after spraying it with benzine. The Separatists then ceased fire and pleaded for mercy, but se ? veral were massacred as they emerged, including the leader of the Government, Commissioner Schwab. The French attitude was neutral. Later the Allied High Commission unanimously decided to proclaim martial law in Pirmasens district, and dissolve certain Nationalist societies and associations.

THE FRENCH INACTIVE. POPULATION ATTACKS SEPARATISTS. LONDON, February 13. The Munich correspondent of the Times states the French authorities apparently deliberately refrained from interference in the fighting till the struggle was practically ended, when six loads of troops arrived and cleared the streets. The population were armed only with axes and clubs, supported by the fire brigade. The Separatists were armed with revolvers and rifles. Later trouble occured at Ziveibrucken, where the fleeing Separatists took refuge in a building occupied by the French. In spite of this, the population attacked the building, facing rifle fire from the Moroccan troops. It is reported that two of the attackers were killed and ten wounded and a French soldier wounded. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Mail says the death roll numbers 49, including women, also a doctor who was killed while attending wounded men. There were many injured. BLOOD-THIRSTY SCENES. SEPARATISTS MASSACRED. A MADDENED CROWD. BERLIN, February 14. (Received February 15, 10.0 p.m.) It never has been doubted that the Separatists’ days in the Palatinate were numbered once the support previously accorded them was withdrawn. The events in Pirmasens are regarded as warning the Separatists elsewhere to fade out of the limelight quickly. Accounts of yesterday’s affair depict bloood-thirsty scenes. The Separatists, armed with rifles and grenades, numbered forty. They barricaded themselves in a building and refused the repeated demands of the attackers to come out. The crowds swelled to enormous dimensions, armed with all available weapons, like axes, sticks and knives. They were unable to break down the barricades so they set fire to the buildings with benzine and then forced their way into the building and engaged the Separatists in hand to hand contests until the later surrendered. Howls of execration greeting the Separatists’ appearance at the exit maddened the crowds, who brushed aside the guards and massacred the Separatists like dogs, including Herr Schwab, whose body was thrown into the flames. Then came the man-hunt after the Separatists in the streets of Pirmasens. Several were found and shared the fate of their comrades in the Town Hall. French troops remained perfectly neutral and it was not until 5 o’clock this morning that the French and Moroccan troops arrived in motors and surrounded the burning building. The affray between the Separatists and the populace at Kaizerslautern resulted in two being killed. The Separatists in Zweibruecken, hearing of the events in Pirmasens hastily quitted the town. Everything is now quiet in Pirmasens. Two Separatists and one civilian have died of wounds and the total death roll is stated to be thirty-nine Separatists and nine civilians. During a Communist demonstration in Stettin the Communists fired on the police from houses, wounding one. The police returned the fire killing one and wounding seven persons. Six Separatists were killed by the crowd during the storming of their headquarters in Daddeurkeim in the Palatinate. The French dispersed the assailants. THE CROWD’S BARBARITY, AN ENRAGED MOB. DEATH TO THE SEPARATISTS. LONDON, February 15. (Received February 15, 8.15 pun.) The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post supplies fuller details of the Pirmasens affair which show that the crowd’s barbarity when some of the Separatists rushed from the burning building was almost incredibily blood-thirsty. Shouting with rage, the crowd cut them down with axes and knives. They tore out their hearts, cut their bodies into pieces and scattered the remains, subsequently throwing the grisly relics back into the burning building. One Separatist attempted to escape from the roof hand over hand along the telephone wires across a back street. He managed a few yards and then the wires broke and the man fell, both legs being broken. Nevertheless, a moment later he was hacked to pieces with axes, amid the savage applause of the crowd. The headless body of another Separatist was found. The body was atrociously mutilated and could only be identified by a ring on a finger. The expressions on the faces of others showed that they had died in terrible agony. A number of arrests have been made under x the orders of the inter-Allied Commission others are expected. CONSCRIPTION OF LABOUR. BAVARIAN PROPOSAL. LONDON, February 15. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily Chronicle states that Dr von Kahr, Dictator of Bavaria, created a sensation by preparing for the conscription of labour under which men between the age of 20 and 25 years will be liable to be called up for a year and women between 18 and 25 years for six months. By this means he hoped to relieve unemployment, carry out public works and promote the people’s health and public spirit. COMMUNIST PLOT. ARRESTS IN KONIGSBERG. BERLIN, February 13. The Government, acting on evidence that Communist plotting throughout the country was inspired by the Soviet, arrested 85 Communists in Konigsberg.