As to Person: My name is Richard Müller. I am 36 years of age;
Protestant; brewery director in Hanover; 1st Lieutenant and Leader of
the 5th Artillery Munitions Column, X. Army Corps.
As to Case: Towards 10 p.m. on August 24th, 1914, I was marching with
my column through the village of Acoz. I allowed my men to dismount
here, because in front of me the 3rd Foot Artillery Munitions Column,
X. Army Corps, were watering their horses. At the moment when I gave
my men the order to mount again, the column was assailed by a vigorous
fire from the houses of the village. In my opinion some 30 to 40 shots
were fired at once. They were firing from shot-guns, for I could hear
from the sound of these shots that they were using small shot. As a
number of horses fell headlong, and various men were also wounded,
I endeavoured for the moment to get the column again on the march.
Meanwhile, with a detachment of about twenty men, who had come to help
from the neighbourhood of the wireless station, I had the village
searched.
During the search of the village three persons were seized who had been
found in the priest's house, two of them indeed hidden in the loft. In
examining these persons I found on one of them called Boucher, or some
name like this, four discharged cartridges. According to the reports
of the soldiers, the priest, who was found amongst the captured men,
strenuously denied that any people were with him in the house; he had
also by gestures offered the search-party money and drink to keep them
back from searching his house. He had also for the moment refused them
entrance into his house by pointing to a red cross which he carried on
his arm. None of these three persons denied their participation in the
attack. Some hours later there was found on the priest an invoice for
the receipt of an English revolver. These men were subsequently shot.
It is altogether out of the question that the surprise attack could
have been brought about by uniformed troops. The Belgian-French army
had already retired a long way, and the village of Acoz had already
been for several days in German occupation.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: MÜLLER.
The witness was sworn.