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Show oo GERMANS DESTROY OLD MASTERPIECES WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN FRANCE, Sept. 11. (By the Associated Press) Sinco their defeat by Man-gin, Man-gin, tho Germans have undertaken the destruction of the architectural mas-1 terpieces of Soissons. With tho samo methods they previously employed In burning or blowing up ovory structure In the regions out of which they have been driven, they are proceeding with the demolition of churches and other edifices in this town, rich in the specimens spe-cimens of work of the architects of tho thirteenth century. Tho cathedral of St. Gervais is now tho principal target. Enormous breaches have beenj rnado in the splendid facade; the up- per gallery is threo quarters destroyed while tho lower gallery has been wrecked. The statues fall ono by onei from the tower. The ancient abbey of SI. Jean-Des-Vignes, in which Thomas Backet spent several years, is also gradually crumbling. crumb-ling. Both towers have been decapitated, decapi-tated, whilo tho facado hns been piorced in many places; tho vault of the facade hns fallen In and the rich ornainentition of tho left lower has disappeared, with tho exception of the statues of two saints that remain facing fac-ing tho enemy. |