MORE BELGIANS SHOT.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1916, Page 10

MORE BELGIANS SHOT.

SELF-SURRENDERED VICTIM The Germans are continuing their reign of terror in Belgium. The Brussels court-martial has sentenced throe Belgians to death and eleven others to twelve years' imprisonment each, for giving information as to the movement of troops. These sentences were ratified and carried out, according to a telegram published in the German papers. Details which have reached The liagtte as to the trial at Liege, of M. Leon Francois, a Belgian tramway official, show that, hearing the Germans were looking for a tramway conductor of the same name, he presented himself at the German headquarters and said: "You want a tramway conductor named Francois. There is 110 conductor of that name, but I am a tramway controller and my name is Francois. What have you to say to me?" Be was arrested, searched, condemned as a spy. and executed, although he strenuously denied the charges brought first against his namesake and then against himself. Eight other Belgians were shot at Liege. Their names are not yet known. 51. Bancq, the architect, who was executed at Brussels the same day as Miss Cavell, showed extraordinary courage. He was allowed to spend his last evening with his wite. whom he told that he was to be sent to prison in Germany, end he parted from her without disclosing his impending fate. He spent the rest of the night writing to her, and fit daybreak was shot. He refused to have his eves bandaged, and faced the firing party with unshaken 'bravery. Tlis letter to his wife was delivered by the priest who confessed him. As the result of the Governor-Gen-eral's orders that all ev-soldiers in Brussels and the neighborhood were to surrender, over 4000 have been arrested and sent to Germany. Tins number Is more than twice as large as the Germans expected.