As to Person: My name is Georg Schröder. I am 34 years old; Protestant;
Lieutenant of Reserve, 5th Artillery Munitions Column, X. Army Corps;
farmer in Nordermon, Administrative District of Elsfleth.
As to Case: On August 24th I followed with the supplementary platoon
of the 5th Artillery Munitions Column about an hour's distance on the
road to Serpinnes. The moment I arrived before the village of Acoz my
platoon was fired upon from the houses and from the high ground. At
Acoz, which meanwhile had been set on fire, I got into contact with
the column. I learnt that they had been fired at, and that the village
had been set on fire after the perpetrators of the attack were found
to be civilians. Three persons were arrested--the parish priest and
two others called Bastin and Boucher. Since the leader of the column,
1st Lieutenant Müller, had been wounded through a fall, I did not know
whether he had examined these persons, and so examined them myself
for our better security. The three prisoners gave only unintelligible
replies to my questions. I accordingly examined the soldiers who had
taken part in the affair. I ascertained that Bastin and Boucher had
been found hidden in the loft, where weapons and discharged cartridges
had also been discovered. As regards the priest, it was reported to me
that he had offered wine and money to the soldiers as they were forcing
their way in, to deter them from searching his house. On the following
morning there was found on the priest a receipt with reference to
a revolver and 50 cartridges which had been assigned to a _garde
champêtre_, or, through his agency, to someone else. I had ordered a
soldier to search all three men, and personally discovered the paper in
question in the purse which was taken from the priest.
Read over, approved, signed.
Signed: GEORG SCHRÖDER.
The witness was sworn.
Concluded.
Signed: MAACK, Lieutenant.
Signed: SCHÜTTE, Non-commissioned Officer.
App. 46.
MILITARY COURT EXAMINATION of Captain von Guaita, Uhlan Westphal, and
Sergeant Hammermeister, all of Reserve Uhlan Regiment No. 2.
BAZANCOURT, _November 22nd, 1914_.
Court of the 2nd Guard Reserve Division.
Present:
President of the Court, Dr. BERNHOLD.
Secretary, GUNTOWSKY.
There appeared before the Court the under-mentioned witnesses, who,
after the importance and sanctity of the oath had been pointed out to
them, made the following statement: