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Show CATHOLIC CLERGY ARE MALTREATED British Press Issues Detailed Statement of Abuses by German Troops in Belgium. Many Priests Beaten, Shot or Hanged Aged Invalid Tortured and Killed. London, Jan. 8. 11 L'6 a, m. At the request of the Belgian legation in London, the British press bureau today to-day Issues detailed allegations of the maltreatment of the Catholic clergy in Belgium and the destruction of their institutions by German troops This statement says that churches and religious houses were destroyed or profaned in almost every village and in many towns where the German Ger-man troops passed In most eases the edifices were utilized as stables and prisons, and when not p'aced in safe hiding, the sacred vessels were stolen. The statement makes the declaration dec-laration that members of the clergy have been exposed to especial indlsnt-tles indlsnt-tles at the handR of Germans. In the dioceses of Liege. N'amur. Ma lines ana uaeai wauy private 0.1111 others connected with the churches were either shot or hanged. Many other priests were carried off to Germany Ger-many where they appear to have been "subjected to abomimable usage " The following specific instances are Riven in the statement of the press bureau "August 27 An American and a Spanish priest, among a group of seventy sev-enty civilians, were dragged about from place to place all day and molested. mo-lested. Insulted and threatened with military execution. Thoy were taken to the church at Campenhout and shut up for the night. August 21 The priest of Duechcn, an invalid 87 years old, suffering from disease, was accused by the Ger mans of having fired on them. He was arrested, hoisted on a cannon, toBsed into a ditch, tortured and shot A witness doposes that he saw the priest, Oolrode, brought into Aerschot August 24, with three wounded men The Germans said he was an English spy and took him to the town hall The following day thoy heat him with rifle butts and then on the Denier bridge they shot him and cast his bodv into the river. A priest makes the following deposition de-position . AngUBt 15 German soldiors swarmed into the village of Schaffen and began to burn and pillage on. the pretense that shots had been fired on them. One hundred and seventy houses were burned and twenty-seven civilians were murdered. The Germans Ger-mans maltreated me In every way They erected a gallows on which they said they purposed to hang me. They thrust me into a house which was on fire, but dragged me out again. They sent me off, and at a distance of 200 yards they began shooting at me. I fell and pretended to be dead and so I escaped." Twenty-six Killed In Mallnes. Continuing the statement says the commission of inquiry collected evi dence that in the diocese of Malines, alone, twenty-six priests were killed without cause. Similar atrocities occurred oc-curred in other dioceses. were shot and in the Namur diocese twenty priests were killed. The priest of Spontin was first hung up by the feet and then by the hands and pierced with bayonets. In the diocese of Tournal, a bishop 74 years old was seized as a hostage and struck by a soldier. Three ecclesiastic were shot in this diocese. The statement, concludes with these words: "Nothing can demonstrate more clearly the tendencies of the Germans in dealing with members of the clerical cler-ical body than the Tords of a proclamation procla-mation posted by the German authorities authori-ties at Grivegnee, September 2fi, which says. When hostages are taken ta-ken the priests, burgomasters, and members 01 the communal administration administra-tion are to be put at the head of the list.' " |