On the night of 24th-25th of August I drove in an automobile from Rossignol to Florenville, where a number of inhabitants were standing by a house engaged in a lively conversation. When, about 100 metres farther on from this point, I stopped my automobile in order to ascertain the direction from a signpost, I was suddenly exposed to a vigorous fire from these people behind me, so that it was only by driving off very quickly that I was able to save my life.
Signed: STERNBERG, Captain and Commander of Medical Corps Company 2, VI. Army Corps.
STATEMENT of Senior Staff-Surgeon Dr. Kiefmann, Medical Corps, VIII. Army Corps.
Proceedings at Field Hospital No. 3, VIII. Army Corps.
There appears as witness Dr. Beyer, who states that Lieutenant Erich Koch, 8th Company, Infantry Regiment No. 160, who had received a severe wound in the perinæum, with laceration of the rectum, informed him after receiving his wound he had been stripped naked by the civilians, robbed, and thrown into a cesspool.
Lieutenant Koch was in fact naked, and only wrapped in a blanket when brought into the hospital.
There appears as witness Acting-Sergeant-Major (Medical Service) Joseph Steffen, who states in reference to the case in hand:
I can only confirm the statement of Staff-Surgeon Beyer. Lieutenant Koch gave me the same information, and added the fact that the women also had taken part in this outrage. Koch was wounded near Porcheresse.
Signed: STEFFEN, Acting-Sergeant-Major, Medical Service.
Signed: Dr. KIEFMANN, Senior Surgeon and Chief Staff-Surgeon.
MILITARY COURT EXAMINATION of Landwehr soldier Alwin Chaton, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 78.
BRAUNSCHWEID, _October 31st, 1914_. (The Hospital "Konzerthaus.")
Gericht der stellvertretenden XL. Brigade.
Present: President of the Court, Dr. BEHME. Secretary, DE BOER.
There appeared to-day as witness the Landwehr soldier Alwin Chaton, 5th Company, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 78, who made the following statement:
My name is Alwin Chaton. I am 32 years old; Protestant; book-keeper at Emmerstadt, near Helmstadt.
During the street-fighting in Charleroi, in the course of the fight we passed the main street and reached a side-street leading from the main street. When I had come to the street corner and fired down the side-street, I saw some 50 to 60 paces in front of me a German dragoon lying in the street. Three civilians were near him, one of whom was bending over the soldier, who was still kicking with his legs. I fired among them and hit the last of the three civilians; the others ran away. On coming nearer I saw that the civilian I had shot had a long bloodstained knife in his hand. The right eye of the German dragoon had been cut out, and the left one as well, though this was still hanging from the side of his head. From the nature of the wounds there could be no doubt that the eyes had been cut out, not in the fighting, but by sheer malice. A great deal of smoke came from the body of the dragoon. He had no doubt been soaked in inflammable liquid and set alight.