DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919 | 1918-12-12 Des Moines Capital Clipping: ""Hun Governor Arrested For His Outrages"" Page 1

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Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919

1918-12-12 Des Moines Capital Clipping: ""Hun Governor Arrested For His Outrages"" Page 1

Friday
HUN GOVERNOR ARRESTED FOR HIS OUTRAGES
by Junius B. Wood.
Des Moines Capital-Chicago News Cable
With the American Army of Occupation, 
Dec. 12. - Gen. Von Tesma, who for four years was the German military governor of Luxemburg, has been arrested and turned over to the French authorities in Metz.  During his incumbency 112 civilian executions were reported in Arlon, Belgium, just across the Luxemburg border.
The court is expected to determine whether these and other acts of oppression were sanctioned by Gen. von Tesma.This is the first arrest of the German officials charged with responsibility for various outrages against the inhabitants of the occupied territories.
American troops are in Coblentz four days earlier than had been planned. This step was taken at the request of the German authorities who since the evacuation of this and other cities on the Rhine have had difficult in preserving order by means of volunteer home guards.
Hurried Their March.
Because of the unsettled conditions and the disintegration of the empire they foresee serious disorder and hence ask the allied forces instead of  marching by gradual stages overland to hurry and take immediate possession.  The French consequently are already in Mayence and the British in Cologne.
The Second battalion of the Thirty-ninth regiment, Fourth division, entrained at Treves Sunday morning, and by noon was in Coblents where it at once began patrolling the city. The troops were carried on a special train prepared by a German railroad.
The entrance of the Americans into Coblentz was unostentations, but the soldiers made a fine impression. They marched a few blocks without band or flags but in full field equipment. The barracks which they occupied had been renovated, the floors being scrubbed and new mattresses, paper sheets and pillows placed on the begs. The battalion was led by Major Fred W. Hackett of  Champlain, N.Y.
Many Hun Officers.
The men were immediately detailed to guard the stores and arsenals turned over by the Germans in accordance with the armistice, and also to patrol the streets. There were many German officers in the streets. The civilians were not demonstrative but they were more cordial than in some of the other German cities. The crossing of the Rhine is scheduled for December 13. 
The last German troops of the Seventy-sixth division infantry marched out of Coblentz with bands playing, colors flying, showered with flowers as if on a holiday at 9 o'clock Sunday morning.
The long column in olive green and marching in perfect order, passed the heroic statue of Williams I and proceeded along the long pontoon bridge towards the towering fortress of Ehrenbreitstein on the eastern bank christened by the Germans "The Gibraltar of Germany." As the column merged into the shaded slopes on the hill more than one marcher turned his head for a fleeting glance backward toward the most beautiful city in the Rhine valley which for more than one hundred years had not been entered by a hostile soldier.
Change Made Quietly.
Six hours later the Americans were holding the city. The change was made so quietly that it was hardly noticed, tho it was known to every one of the inhabitants. It was typical of the sudden changes which have taken place in the recent weeks of the war. A year ago a single division was holding a little sector of the front against a German wall of steel and humanity. It was never dreamed that Coblenz 200 kilometers (120 miles) away would ever be reached in a year almost to a day. The Germans at that time were hurling the English from Cambrai. Since then America's millions have crossed the seas and Germany's line is broken. Today a single battalion of doughboys is holding the west bank of the Rhine close on the heels of Germany's retiring millions.
It is hard to realize that the broad river which one sees from the windows of the Coblentz hotel is the Rhine. At present it is teeming with barges and excursion boats. One who is able to look back over the vista of months at the dust stifling roads, the unending roar of cannon, the blood stained bandages, the silent forms of Americans in brown and Germans in green marking every yard of the advance over the waving fields and the wooded hillsides of France and the miles covered in the last few days in the same enemy's country feels as tho it was a dream.
The undercurrent of feeling here was shown in the diningroom of one of the leading hotels. A strapping somber-faced officer in Prussian uniform, an iron cross over his heart and two decorations on his breast shot bitter glances at the Americans. He vented his spleen by berating his companion who was an unmistakable German soldier tho he was in civilian clothes. The other guests were bald-headed men with pink cheeks, bediamonded matrons smoking cigars, staid burghers with their wives and children and young men with their best girls. More than one walked with a limp or had an empty sleeve at his side. Some of them had black and white ribbons and iron crosses on their civilian coats. They drank and listened to the orchestra not noticing the guests who were in the unwelcomed American uniform.
(Copyright, 1918. by The Chicago Daily News Co.)

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Friday HUN GOVERNOR ARRESTED FOR HIS OUTRAGES by Junius B. Wood. Des Moines Capital-Chicago News Cable With the American Army of Occupation, Dec. 12. - Gen. Von Tesma, who for four years was the German military governor of Luxemburg, has been arrested and turned over to the French authorities in Metz. During his incumbency 112 civilian executions were reported in Arlon, Belgium, just across the Luxemburg border. The court is expected to determine whether these and other acts of oppression were sanctioned by Gen. von Tesma.This is the first arrest of the German officials charged with responsibility for various outrages against the inhabitants of the occupied territories. American troops are in Coblentz four days earlier than had been planned. This step was taken at the request of the German authorities who since the evacuation of this and other cities on the Rhine have had difficult in preserving order by means of volunteer home guards. Hurried Their March. Because of the unsettled conditions and the disintegration of the empire they foresee serious disorder and hence ask the allied forces instead of marching by gradual stages overland to hurry and take immediate possession. The French consequently are already in Mayence and the British in Cologne. The Second battalion of the Thirty-ninth regiment, Fourth division, entrained at Treves Sunday morning, and by noon was in Coblents where it at once began patrolling the city. The troops were carried on a special train prepared by a German railroad. The entrance of the Americans into Coblentz was unostentations, but the soldiers made a fine impression. They marched a few blocks without band or flags but in full field equipment. The barracks which they occupied had been renovated, the floors being scrubbed and new mattresses, paper sheets and pillows placed on the begs. The battalion was led by Major Fred W. Hackett of Champlain, N.Y. Many Hun Officers. The men were immediately detailed to guard the stores and arsenals turned over by the Germans in accordance with the armistice, and also to patrol the streets. There were many German officers in the streets. The civilians were not demonstrative but they were more cordial than in some of the other German cities. The crossing of the Rhine is scheduled for December 13. The last German troops of the Seventy-sixth division infantry marched out of Coblentz with bands playing, colors flying, showered with flowers as if on a holiday at 9 o'clock Sunday morning. The long column in olive green and marching in perfect order, passed the heroic statue of Williams I and proceeded along the long pontoon bridge towards the towering fortress of Ehrenbreitstein on the eastern bank christened by the Germans "The Gibraltar of Germany." As the column merged into the shaded slopes on the hill more than one marcher turned his head for a fleeting glance backward toward the most beautiful city in the Rhine valley which for more than one hundred years had not been entered by a hostile soldier. Change Made Quietly. Six hours later the Americans were holding the city. The change was made so quietly that it was hardly noticed, tho it was known to every one of the inhabitants. It was typical of the sudden changes which have taken place in the recent weeks of the war. A year ago a single division was holding a little sector of the front against a German wall of steel and humanity. It was never dreamed that Coblenz 200 kilometers (120 miles) away would ever be reached in a year almost to a day. The Germans at that time were hurling the English from Cambrai. Since then America's millions have crossed the seas and Germany's line is broken. Today a single battalion of doughboys is holding the west bank of the Rhine close on the heels of Germany's retiring millions. It is hard to realize that the broad river which one sees from the windows of the Coblentz hotel is the Rhine. At present it is teeming with barges and excursion boats. One who is able to look back over the vista of months at the dust stifling roads, the unending roar of cannon, the blood stained bandages, the silent forms of Americans in brown and Germans in green marking every yard of the advance over the waving fields and the wooded hillsides of France and the miles covered in the last few days in the same enemy's country feels as tho it was a dream. The undercurrent of feeling here was shown in the diningroom of one of the leading hotels. A strapping somber-faced officer in Prussian uniform, an iron cross over his heart and two decorations on his breast shot bitter glances at the Americans. He vented his spleen by berating his companion who was an unmistakable German soldier tho he was in civilian clothes. The other guests were bald-headed men with pink cheeks, bediamonded matrons smoking cigars, staid burghers with their wives and children and young men with their best girls. More than one walked with a limp or had an empty sleeve at his side. Some of them had black and white ribbons and iron crosses on their civilian coats. They drank and listened to the orchestra not noticing the guests who were in the unwelcomed American uniform. (Copyright, 1918. by The Chicago Daily News Co.)