paraffin. Three or four carts containing paraffin tanks were brought up,
and a syringe was used to put paraffin on to the houses, which were then
fired. The process of destruction began with the houses of rich people,
and afterward the houses of the poorer classes were treated in the same
manner. German soldiers had previously told this witness that if the
Burgomaster of Termonde, who was out of town, did not return by 12
o'clock that day the town would be set on fire. The firing of the town
was in consequence of his failure to return. The prisoners were
afterward taken to a factory and searched for weapons. They were
subsequently provided with passports enabling them to go anywhere in the
town, but not outside. The witness in question managed to effect his
escape by swimming across the river.

Another witness describes how the tower of the Church of Termonde St.
Gilles was utilized by the Belgian troops for offensive purposes. They
had in fact mounted a machine gun there. This witness was subsequently
taken prisoner in a cellar in Termonde in which he had taken refuge with
other people. All the men were taken from the cellar and the women were
left behind. About seventy prisoners in all were taken; one, a brewer
who could not walk fast enough, was wounded with a bayonet. He fell down
and was compelled to get up and follow the soldiers. The prisoners had
to hold up their hands, and if they dropped their hands they were struck
on the back with the butt end of rifles. They were taken to Lebbeke,
where there were in all 300 prisoners, and there they were locked up in
the church for three days and with scarcely any food.

A witness living at Baesrode was taken prisoner with 250 others and kept
all night in a field. The prisoners were released on the following
morning. This witness saw three corpses of civilians, and says that the
Germans on Sunday, the 6th, plundered and destroyed the houses of those
who had fled. The Germans left on the following day, taking about thirty
men with them, one a man of 72 years of age.

Later in the month civilians were again used as a screen, and there is
evidence of other acts of outrage.

ALOST.

Alost was the scene of fighting between the Belgian and German Armies
during the whole of the latter part of the month of September. In
connection with the fighting numerous cruelties appear to have been
perpetrated by the German troops.

On Saturday, Sept. 11, a weaver was bayoneted in the