TRIALS OF BELGIAN WOMEN.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11647, 16 August 1916, Page 6

TRIALS OF BELGIAN WOMEN.

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT. TRICKERY OB’ GERMANS. “I have lost my pocketbook,” cries a person seated in a railway train arriving at Charleroi. Immediately there is a great commotion. The anxiety of the German officials to find that pocketbook is wonderful. The station is closed and everybody is searched. Incidentally every letter and document found in possession of any of the travellers is seized. '

That is only one of the means employed by the Germans to prevent communication between the unfortunate Belgian people and the outside world, The service of the post office is very regular for the occupied territory, but no letters are allowed from abroad, even from Switzerland, There are private couriers who, for large sums and at great risk, undertake to bring in letters that have been banded to them at the frontier. The Germans, however, as shown, are very ingenious in discovering these couriers. .Then imprisonment or a heavy fine, perhaps death, is the penalty. Following the seizure of such letters, the Germans have a peculiar means of mental torture for the persons addressed. A police official with an air of mystery takes a letter to its destination. . If it is accepted, arrest and punishment follows. TORTURING A MOTHER..

One woman, who had been waiting for mouths ffor news from her sou, a soldier at the front, finally received a call from a police official, who handed a lettsr to her.

“I am not expecting a letter from anyone,” she,said. ‘‘But it is from' your son,” said the policeman.

£ ‘‘l have no son.” “But, see,” said the rapn opening the envelope, ‘‘you will easily recognise the writing.” Yes, she recognised it, but she had the strength to answer ‘‘No.” “Then,” said the inqusitor, “we will burn it,” and he proceeded in her presence to set lire to the precious letter, and waited until it was consumed. “It was like burning my heart out,” said the poor mother relating the incident to a woman who managed to escape by some means not revealed, and told the Paris Figaro of life in Belgium under German rule. REVENGE ON AN OFFICER.

Once in a*while the residents get the better of their torturers, this woman said, and related the following incident: — Mine. M. had received a letter from her husband. An officer who ws billeted in her aparlments saw that she seemed very happy and said: ‘‘Yon seem very gay, madam, you have doubtless received good news from Mr M. ”

‘‘Why, yes,” she replied, de. ceived by this appearance of interest, ‘‘be has written to me. He is very well. ” “Ah, so much the better,” answered the officer.

“ Two hours later the wife [was taken before the kommaudantuPaud fined twenty marks. ‘‘ls that all?” she cried, laughing. ‘‘You think that isn’t enough?” said tbe ocffiiai.

"Why, I’ve been told that there was so mncfa Tneed of money in Germany that the peopleware dying of bnnger. ” “Who told yon that?’” “The officer who is at my house, Lieut. Sch—. ” That evening lieutenant was arrested and sent to prison for a month, so the woman had her revenge.