Condé, September 25th, 1914.
On August 18th, after the retirement of the enemy, I rode through the village of Capellen with my company and heard shots being fired at my riflemen from a house behind me—from the house itself and from the garden. While the garden was being searched, the firing was renewed, and was replied to by my men. A woman, whose dead body was subsequently found in the garden, was a victim of this firing. The firing from the house continued, though from what part I could not determine. We found two men and some nine women and children, all unarmed. There were no soldiers in the house. I had the house set on fire, and, during the conflagration, cartridges exploded four or five times in the burning house.
After the decision of the regiment had been secured next morning the inhabitants in question were set at liberty, because they had not been found with weapons in their hands, nor had any such persons been discovered in searching the house.
The firing from the house and garden undoubtedly occurred.
Signed: Strauss, Captain and Company Leader.
App. 49.
Military Court Examination of Musketeer Peter Behle, Infantry Regiment No. 16, Non-commissioned Officer Otto Biernirth, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 213, War Volunteer Willi Kandt, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 201, War Volunteer Fritz Blum, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 233, and War Volunteer Franz Breidbach, Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 235.
Lennep, November 17th, 1914.
Königliches Amtsgericht.
Present:
Amtsgerichtsrat Landsberg, Judge.
Referendar Weltman, Secretary.