PITILESS BRUTALITY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2586, 7 October 1915, Page 5

PITILESS BRUTALITY

A COLD-BLOODED SHOOTIN& 'AT . LIEGE. . - ' By Tolegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. October 6j 11.30 p.m.) , Paris,; October 6. / Details of t'he execution of the Belgians, at Liege on June B.last, for alleged spying, show that a woman denounced twenty-five Belgians for giving information; to the Allies. One of t'he twenty-five was a woman, who was persuaded to confess on a promise being given that the culprits would be treated leniently. Nevertheless, eleven of them were sentenced to death, and volunteers were called for the firing squad.

None being forthcoming, men were then chosen, under threats. The condemned eleven' arrived in wagons' at daybreak, accompanied by priests, and wore placed with their backs to the wall. Posts were driven—"into tho ground, to which they were to be tied if their courage failed them. • •'

Louise Frenay, the woman who confessed, was ordered to be shot first. The soldiers hesitated, not being aware that they had to shoot a woman, and whc-n ordered to fire, some of t/hem aimed aside, and some low, with the result that the woman was wounded in the legs. ■ An officer ordered them to reload, but tho men flatly -refused, and the .officer then called up a '-'non-com.," who shot her with a revolver. The rest of tlio sentences were rapidly carried out.