THE LOUVAIN TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 1 September 1914, Page 5

THE LOUVAIN TRAGEDY.

CORRESPONDENT'S EXPLANATION. • (Recefyed last Night, 9.30 o'clock ) LONDON, August 31 (Morning). TSre Rotterdam Correspondent of 'the "Nieuwe Courant'' declares that he witnessed the outrages at Louvain. He accompanied a, German officer through the town. AVliile the commander and staff, and many military Avere awaiting a food and ammunition train, which was just arriving at the station, shots rang out from houses in the vicinity. The shooting was immediately taken up ■by houses throughout the- town, and from-the window of a hotel opposite the station a machine gun opened fire.. It was impossible to know whien civilians participated in the shooting or from which house the shots were fired. Therefore the soldiers enfefed all the house's, and the most terrßble things followed. Every civilian who was found with weapons, or suspected of firing, was killed immediately. The innocent suffered with the guilty, old men, sick people, and women being shot. Shells fired many of the buildings, and petrol wa s poured on others, and lights applied. Under a strong escort, two groups of men and women, each a hundred strong, were placed in rows at me station. Whenever a soldier was shot in the town, ten of these pitiful civilians were slaughtered. No mercy was shown, tears and pleadings being in vain. Next morning the boulevards were strewn with corpses, including-those of priests. Some' of the inhabitants were driven to the roof of » burning building, where they perished. Fifty who took refuge at the station were accused of the shooting,

They protested tlioir innocence, hut all were shot. A Dutchm;; ii who previously escaped, pretending he <,vas a German, says he lieheves the first firing was not by the civilians.