Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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p -!:p.1'vfvri WHITLOCICS STORY I ' OF DEPORTATIONS Report of German Disregard ol Human Rights on File in State Department OVERWHELM ED-WITH KORROR " Minister to Belgium Declared It Was Difficult to Write Calmly end Justly In View of the Huns' Gratuitous CrusJty. Facts concerning the deportation of Belgians and the forced labor extorted by the "Hun" military lead 'j -J " or a, wmcit cxcnea me indignation of the civilized world, have been thu* officially set forth: The plan of setting forth the essential facts of the' deportations and forced labor of Belgians is set forth by the committee on public information as' follows: the documents, that ' Is to say. a small fraction of those which could be cited, tell the story, and only such comments are added as are needed to enable the reader to easily grasp the connection of events. "The deportations . . . were the most vivid, shocking, convincing, single happening in all our enforced observation and experience of German disregard of human suffering and humun rights in Belgium."?Vernon Kellogg In Atlantic Monthly, October, 1017. A summary of the whole situation, down ,to Jnnuury, 1017, can be obtained by reading continuously the report of Minister Whitlock, taken from ^ the flies of the state department. This tells of the bratalltjr of the deporta"Legation of the United States of America, Brussels, Jan. 16, 1017. "The Honorable, the Secretary of t State, Washington. "Sir: I have had It In mind, and I might say, on my conscience, since the Germans begun to deport Belgian workmen early In November, to prepare for the department a detailed r? rt on this latest Instance of brutality, but there have been so many obstacles In the way of obtaining evidence On which a calm and Judicious opinion could be bused, and one is so overwhelmed with ' * horror of the thing Itself, that It has .een, and even now Is, difficult to write calmly and Justly about It. I have had to content myself with fragments of dispatches I have from time to time sent to the department and with doing what I could, little as that can be, to alleviate the distress that this gratuitous cruelty has caused the population of this unhappy land. Whltlock Opposed Belgian Idea. "In order to understand fully the sltuutlon. It Is necessary to g# back to the autumn of 1914. At the time we were organizing the relief work, the Comlte National?the Belgian relief organization that collaborates with the commission for relief In Belgium? proposed an arrangement by which the Belgian government should pay to Its own employees left In Belgium, and other unemployed men besides, the wages they had been accustomed to receive. The Belgians wished to do this both for humanitarian and patriotic purposes; they wished to provide the unemployed with the means of livelihood, and, at the same time, to prevent their working for the Germans. I refused to be connected in anv wflv with this nlnn mid tnld tho Belgian committee that It had many possibilities of danger; that not only would It placo a premium on Idleness, hut that It would ultimately exnsperL. ate the Germans. However, the policy Pt waa adopted, and has been continued In practice, and on the rolls of the Comlte National have been borne the names of hundred s of thousands? some 700,000, I believe?of Idle men receiving this dole, distributed through the communes. "The presence of these unemployed, however, wus a constant temptation to German cupidity. Many times they '' sought to obtain the lists of the chomeurs, hut were always foiled by the ./ claim that under the guaranties covering the relief work, the records of the Comlte National and Its various suborgnnlzntlons were Immune. Rather than risk any Interruption of the ravltulllement, for which, while loath to own any obligation to America, the Germans have always been grateful, since It has had the effect of keeping the population calm, the authorities never pressed the point, other than with the burgomasters of the communes. Finally, however, the military party, always brutal, and with an astounding Ignorance of public opinion and of moral sentiment, determined to put these Idle men to work. "General von Hissing and the civil portion of bis entourage hod always been and even now are opposed to this policy, und 1 think have sincerely done what they could, first, to prevent Its adoption, and aecondly, to lighten the rigors of Its application." Qsrman Promises Worthless, is In the early days of the German nd/ vance Into Belgium, the people had learned to fear the worst. This was particularly true In Antwerp. In order to alleviate their fears and to obtain guaranties which might hasten the restoration of settled conditions. Cardinal Merder secured from the German government at Antwerp promises, and In a circular letter dated October 10th, 1914, asked the clergy of Risnonne and that of lfarchlas the rig orous treatment with which you hart threatened them, I give my word ol honor to remit to his majesty th? Emperor William, should the wai come to an end without Intentional damage being caused to my resident or to these two communes, the necesrsry sum to complete the amount ol BOO,000 francs Imposed by yon upon l Blssonne. "As a sovereign prince, I wish tc deal In this matter with the sovereign who, during IS years, called me hla friend and has decorated me with ths Order of the Knight of the Bledl "Ity ooMdene* and my dlfnlt] place me abort fear, as also my pet sonal will shall elevate me above re , gret; bat should you destroy thi | Chateau de Marchals, which Is oae o> I the centers of universal science an< charity, should you reserve to- thli archaeological and historical gem th< 1 treatment you hare given to the Co thedral of Reims?when no reprehen slble action has been committed t$en ?the whole world will Judge be tween you and myself. "I tender to your excellency the ex presston of my high regard. "ALBERT, Sovereign Prince of Hon a co." Deportations and Forced Leber. Until the present war the whole dr uisea worm nas boasted of Its advane< In humanity. Thla advance has beei marked In many fields, and In non< had greater progress been made thai In the protection to be given to th< . private citizen In an Invaded country As far bock as 1803, In the "Instruc tlons for the Government of Armlei of the United States In the Field,' the United 8tates declared: "23. Private citizens are no longei murdered, enslaved, or carried off t< dlstiyit ports, and the inoffensive In dividual Is as little disturbed In hli private relations as the commandei of the hostile troops can afford t< grant In the overruling demands of c vigorous war. "24. The almost universal rule It remote times was, and continues to b< with barbarous armies, that the prl vote Individual of the hostile countrj Is destined to suffer every prlvatlot of liberty and protection, and ever] disruption of family ties. Protectloc was, and still Is with uncivilized peo pie, the exception." Reversion to Barbarism. These declarations were made In the i midst of our Civil war?one of the | world's fiercest conflicts. A half-cen| tury later, after more than 50 yean of progress, the German governmenl has gone back to the methods used by "barbarous armies" and "uncivilized people." It has deliberately adopted the policy of deporting men and women, boys and girls, and ol forcing them to work for their cap tors; It has even compelled tliem to , make arms and munitions for use against their allies and their own flesh and blood. No other act of the Qerman government has aronsed such horror and de. testation throughout the civilized world. Thousands of helpless men and women, boys und girls, have been enslaved. # Families have been broken up. Girls have been carried off tc I work?or worse?In a strange land I and their relatives have not known where they have been taken, or what their fate has been. This system of forced labor and de porta tlon embraced the whole of Belglum, Poland and the occupied lands of Frnnce. Whlttock's 8tory of Horrors. In less moving phrases, but In dead ly corroboration, the continuation ot the report of Minister Whltlock says; "The rage, the terror, and despali excited by this measure all over Belglum were beyond anything we had witnessed since the day the Germans poured Into Brussels. The delegates of the commission for relief In Belglum, returning to Brussels, told the most distressing stories of the scenes of cruelty and sorrow attending the seizures. And dally, hourly almost, since that time appalling stories have been related by Belgians coming to the legation. It Is Impossible for us to verlfv thorn Ural hu^niluo I nnn. essary for us to exercise all possible tact Id dealing with ths subject at all, and secondly because there Is no means of eommunlcatlon between the Occupatlons-Geblet and the EtappenGeblct. Transportation everywhere In Belgium Is difficult, the vicinal railways scarcely op'-'utlng any more because of the lack of oil, while all the horses have been taken. The people who are forced to go from one village to another must do so on foot or In vans drawn by the few miserable horses that are left. The wagons of the breweries, the one institution that the Germans have scrupulously respected, are hauled by oxen. One of Foulest Deeds In History. "The well-known tendency of sensational reports to exaggerate themselves, especially in time of war, and In a situation like that existing here, with no newspapers to serve as a dully clearing house for all the rumors that are as avidly believed as they are eagerly repeuted, should of course be considered; but even if a modicum of all that Is told Is true there still remains enough to stamp his deeds as one of the foulest that history records. "I am constantly In receipt of re ptrta from all over Belgium that tend to bear out the storiea one constantly heura of brutality and cruelty. A number of men ae it back to Mons are aid to be In a dying condition, many of them tubercular. At Mallnes and at Antwerp returned men have died, their friends assorting that they have been victims of neglect and cruelty, of cold, of expos! re, of hunger," CITATION NOTICE State of South Carolina, County of Chesterfield. By M. J. Hough, Probate Judge: Whereas, Mrs. E. E. Collins mad< suit to me to grant her Letters of Ad ministration of the Estate and effecti of 0. N. Collins, deceased. ineie ire, mereiore, to cit? un admonish all and singular the kin ? dred and Creditors of the said C. N Collins, deceased, that they be an< appear before me, in the Court o Probate, to be held at Chesterdeld 8. C. on 26th day of February next after publication hereof, at 11 o'cloc in the forenoon, to show cause, i any they hare, why the said Admlr istration should not be granted. Oiren under my hand this lit] day of February Anno Domini 191t pd. M J. HOUGH, Probate Judge. S3 i l-'wrtiej I/ VP Fi i 2-mea n 3-?ktS use j\ and die cause U.S. POOD A I FACEJl LET us face the facts. Unless the Allies f i fought, defeat threatens . t fv, u?i. ? Imv vncii ucal9 nor nungr and Italy are going hung ?j Wheat Saving*?They n i. best food to fight on. ' alone can spare it to th less than a quarter of v> support those who are can do it without atintri to substitute another f< The Corn of Plenty?Cc surplus of it. Provide] hour of our need. It ha< as was never known b< loads of corn. Five hur above our regular nee learn to appreciate it. i so easy? And so clear America's Own Food?C< food. The Indians, h Our forefathers adopt' continent. For a grei has blong een the staff fought on it. history tel win a world war. Learn Something?Corn 1 dozen. It's a cereal. 1 I It's a dessert. It's nuti dollar for dollar, than vegetables. It's good know until you've had Best of all, it's plentifu i Corn's Infinite Variety?F corn? About how go i delicious ways of cook by not knowing more of its uses: i ! There are at least ft: malm arnnH r!l*Vifrw dlr fast. Here are some eugj HOT BREADS Boston brown bread. Hoecake. Muffins. Biscuits. Griddle cakes. Waffles. HEAR1 Corn-meal croquettes. Meat and cori Italian polenta. The recipes are in 1 Meal as a Food and Way Department of Agricultu i i i i flpBBS |gl ?i TAKE ^9l| THE P IMM Realizing that thia year, the American farmer will be call e tion of the peoplea of The Ei reader* to also receive The ognize it as the South'* lead doctrines of crop diversifies serration. d So important have these i Ident that he has issued an j feed itself but have somethii f friends across the Seas. i. As your patriotic duty eqi and guidance of this standi >< one dollar a year and may 1 t amount named below. Both Pa] ?? : . ' * 7 it nore corn t ? toreftsh <5L beans xst enough r ise svrxxps ? serve of freedom kDMINISTHATlON ie FACTS The w*r situation 1s critical. Ight as they never yet have Hungry men cannot light y nations. France, England, ry unless we feed them. oust have wheat. It la the It is the easiest to ship. We em. By saving juat a little? 'hat we ate last year?we can fighting our battlea. And we ng ourselves. We have only Dod just as good. >rn is that food. There's a nee has been generous in the striven us com iu such bounty eiore. Tons of corn. Trainidred million bushels over and da. All we have to do is to Was ever patriotic duty made ? ?mt It is the true American ardiest of races, lived on it. ed the diet and conquered a at section of our country it of life. How well the South lis. Now it can help America I It isn't one food. It's a It's a vegetable. It's a bread, -itious; more food value in it, meat or eggs or most other to eat; how good you don't corn-bread properly cooked. 1 and it's patriotic. low much do you know about >od it is? About the many ing it? And what you miae about it? Here are a few fty ways to use corn meal to iner, supper, lunch or breakt estions: DESSERTS Corn-meal molasaea sake. Apple corn bread. n 11 m nlln cro Gingerbread. Fruit gems. *Y DISHES Corn-meal fish balls, i-meal dumplings. Tamales. farmers' Bulletin 665, "Corn a of Using It," free from the re. ; YOUR HOME PAPER AND ROGRESSIVE FARMER next and the next maybe, the led upon to feed the major porarth, we have arranged for our Progressive Farmer. We racing exponent of the now vital ition and farm products con>roblems appeared to cur Presappeal to the South to not only ag more for our sorely needing lip yourself by using the advice ard farm weekly which sells for >e had with our paper for the d?i nr* >ers ?pi.iD . t. ^??.... 'thai day is germany's doom" ' ^ WHIN ONE HUNDRED MILLION OF AMERICAN CITIZENS ACT AS ONE. FEBRUARY CRITICAL MONTH' I I An Opportunity For South Carolina Man, Woman and Chlldron to Do monatrato Tholr Patriotism. Charleston. S. C/?February la' ex! pected to prove one of the most critical j months of the war, and whether the ' war is to be prolonged or shortened ; will be decided to a great extent by i what the millions of Americans at home do toward backing the army. | This Is the Judgment of prominent government officials who visited Charleston in the middle of the month.' One of the most significant utterances made during the entire war. was made by a prominent German official when America cast her lot with tho Allies: "We do not fear the American eoldlers, because they cannot arrive It time; what we fear Is the Intelligence and devotion of one hundred million . Americans trained to a faith In indlvlI dual initiative. The day that those hundred millions act as one, that day Is Germany's dooml", Hastening the Doom. To enable the hundreds of millions of Americans to act as one is one of the main objects of the war savings plan which the governni^nt Is instituting as a mighty weapon against Ger;! many. That is the underlying object of the drive for war savings societios which is being pushed during thU month, and through which millions of Americans are expected to pledgo themselves to stand pack of the army and navy by avoiding needless expen nuures an<l thereby release the goods and services which are needed to equip the army and navy properly and efficiently. R. Goodwyn Rhett, state director for war savings, haa Issued the following statement: "Joint the company of iavera! Let , a company of aavera back every company of aoldlera. The war Ravings ;; committee of your county la carrying !; oa a campaign th'i month for the formation of war aavlnge societies. War Savings Societies make It eaoy for you ' to join with others In saving a portion of your earnings as they come In and Invent them In War Savings S'amps j! Every loyal man, woman, and child in South Carolina should Join a War Havings Society, not next week, but NOW. Let us respond patriotically to the government's call. Let us act ns ono. and bring nearer Germany's day of doom." W. 8. 8. PATRIOTIC GIFTS VOGUE i - i A Present That Laats Five Years and Halpa Win the War. , 1 i Washington, D. C.?Reports received at the treasury department show that In all parts of Amrica a new plan for giving presents la being firmly estah| 11 shed Tha "Patriotic Present" Is the \ Idea, and consists of War Savings Stamps to the value of whatever gift ! would ordinarily have been given. Parents, to encourage thrift as well aa patriotism, have adopted the plan of gtving War Savings Stamps and Thrift Stamps to their children In; 11 stead of the usual presents auoh as for I birthday*, surprises, rewards, etc. ! Employers who hare been accustomed to presenting bonuses to employees are instead firing such bonuses In the shape of War Barings Stamps. The "Patriotic Present" now appears to bar* become a nationwide custom. w. s. s. p??? ? I SEVEN REASONS FOR 8AVINQS. i i i There are seron good reasons why the gorernment has issued War Barings Stamps: 1. flare for your country's sake, because It Is now spending millions a day, and muHt And most of the money out of savings. = 2. Bar* for your own sake, because work and wages are pientirul and. while prices are high now, a dollar will buy more I after the war. 3. Save because, when you apend, you make other people work for you. and the work of everyone ia needed now to win the war. 4. Save because. by saving. you make things cheaper for everyone, especially for those who are poorer thaa you. I. Save because, by going without you relieve the strain on ahlpa. docks, and railways, and make transport cheaper and quicker. 6. Save because, by saving, you set an example that makes It eraler for the next man to save. A saving nation ia an earning nation. 7. Save because every time you save you help twice, first when you don't spend, and again when you lend to the nation. i HOUSEKEEPER WANTED I Wanted?White I>ady to Cook, keep house etc. Good Home with small pay. Address The Thomas Bargain House, 902 E. Cheves St., Florence, S. S. 50 WANTED All farmers to know I am still selling the manure from Camp Jackson for $3.00 at Camp; $4.25 at Chester- j held. Its worth $8.80. I I 3t-p A. P. FUNDERBURK, I Pageland, S. C. . GERMAN " In These Columns Wi ol Articles Descrit most Unbelievable , The Truth of The; Fcf~U;~L?J L.. i i~j^iciuiiaii<Tu uy uie e "HUNS" IMPOSED ~ | ABSURD FINES State Department Archives at Washington Record the f. Story of Sissonne. COMMUNE UNABLE TO PAY Von Buelow, on That Account, Threatentd to Destroy Home of Prince of Monaco, Who Appealed to President Wilson. The universally condemned German system of extorting money from captured communities is shovm by the. following documents published by the committee on public information : A striking Illustration of the fierce( brutality of Oernian methods Is contained In the archives of* the atate department, because the prince of Monaco appealed to President Wilson against the Injustice of a fine Imposed j upon, a small and Impoverished vll- I lage. The following documents from the state department archives tell the story. They need no comments. "Paris, Oct. *27. 11)14. ! "secretary of Stale, Washington. "Prince of Monaco called tills morning and asked that the following case he submitted to the president: "Prince states that General von Ihielow for weeks has been inhabiting prince's ancestral chateau near Reims, historical monument, contain-! ing works of art and family heirlooms; that Von Ruelow has Imposed fine of fiOO.ObO francs on village of Slssonne some miles distant from chateau, because of broken glass found on road near village. Slssonne being ur* able alone to pay has raised with n number of other neighboring villages 12.r?,0W0 francs, but Von Buelow lias sent two messengers from Slssonne to prince that unless latter pays fine for Slssonne the chateau and adjoining village, as well as Slssonne, will be destroyed on November 1st. Prince has answered refusing to pay sum now but willing to give his word to Gernian emperor that amount would be paid after removal of danger of fresh war Incidents. Prince now fearful lest returning messengers, as well as male employees on his estate, be shot because of refusal to pay. "I have arranged meeting this afternoon between Spanish ambassador an<l prince, to whom I have suggested that matter be presented to German government through Spanish ambassador at Berlin Inasmuch as prince's threatened property is in France. "MERRICK." Von Buelow'8 Threat. 'To the Mayor of the Commune of Slssonno. I "It has boon ronoluslvoly provon that tho mad betwoon Slssonne and tlm railway station of Montaigu was, on I September 18th, strewn with brokon 1 glass along a distance of ono kllonu'tor and at lntorvals of f>0 motors, for tho purposo, no doubt, of Impeding nutoinobllo trafllc. "I hold tho commune of Slssonno rosponslblo for this act of hostility ' on tho part of Its Inhabitants, and I punish the said community by levying 1 upon It a contribution of 000,0(10 francs (five hundred thousand francs). "This sum must be entirely paid ; Into the treasury of tho Etape by Oc- ! toiler If.th. "The Inspection of the Etape now at Montoornet has been directed to | enforce execution of this order. "The (lerieral Commander in Chief of the Army, ?vov imici r?iv?* i Protest of Prince of Monaco. Monaco, Oct, 22imI, 11114. "Slrsr "I forward to your majesty several documents relating to a very grave and urgent matter. "The General von Buelow has caused to ho occupied since one month and a half my residence of Marchnls, situated at five kilometers from the vll Inge of Slssonne. The general has lev led upon the 1,.r>00 inhabitants of this poor ruined village a war contribution of MK),000 francs, of which they are unable to pay more than one-quarter. Moreover, he hns sent to me two emissaries bearing a document in which he threatens to destroy my property and the village of Marchais, over and above that of Slssonne, In the event of my not disbursing myself the sum In question before the end of the month of October. "That Is how a Prussian general treats a reigning prince who for 4 years has been a friend to Germany, and who In all the countries of the world Is surrounded with respect and gratitude for his work. "In reply to the summons of the General von Huelow I have given my word of honor to complete the above I contribution In order to avert 11 horrible notion nooomplNhed In fold hlood, but adding that hh a aoverolgn prince I submit this matter to the Judgment of th?? emperor by declaring that tho sa|d sum shall be paid whan tho Chateau do Marchnls will Im? froo from tho danger of Intentional destruction. "I am, with great respect, your majesty's devoted servant and cousin, "AbllFItT, rrlnee of Monaco." Lettar Addresed to Von Buelow. "Monaco, Oct. 22, 1914. **To avert from tlia commune oi k ^ ^ >? ATROCITIES 11 Be Pqblished a Series >ing Some of The AlCrimes of Germany, se Accounts Has Been I. S. Government. the province of Antwerp to communicate them to the people: "The governor of Antwerp, Raron von Holnlngen, General von Huene, hnn authorized ine to Inform you In hui nnme and to eotnmn ?!??? ? ? ? l?jr jruur obliging Intermediary to our populations, the three following declarations : "(1) The young men need not fear being taken to Germany, either to be enrolled Into the army or to be employed at forced labors. "(2) If Individual Infractions of police regulations are committed, the authorities will Institute a search for the responsible authors and will punish them, without placing the responsibility on the entire population. "(3) The German and Belgian authorities will neglect nothing to see that food ie assured to the population." These promises were not kept, ns Cardinal Mercler and his colleagues show by abundant evidence In the "Appeal to Truth." "On March 23d, 1915, at the arsenal at Luttre the German authorities posted a no litedemanding return to work. 'On April-21st, 200 workmen were culled for. On April 27th soldiers went to fetch the workmen from their homop Qntl take them to the urscnnl. In the i$)?enco ot a workman, a member bf'the family was arrested. Workmen Imprisoned on Trains. "However, the men maintained their refusal to work, 'because they were unwiHIixg to co-operute In nets of war against their country.' "On May 4th, 24 workmen detained In prison ut Nlvelles were tried tit Mods by a court-martial, 'on the charge of being members of n secret society, having for Its aim to thwart the currying out of German military measures.' They were condemned to imprisonment. "On Mny 8th, 191.r?, 48 workmen were shut up In a freight car und taken to Germany. "On May 14th, 45 men were deported to Germany. "On May 18th a fresh proclamation announced that the prisoners would receive only dry bread and water, and hot food only every four days. On Muy 22d three curs with 104 workmen were sent toward Churlerol." "A similar course was adopted at Mullnes, where by vurlous methods of Intimidation, the German authorities attempted to force the workers at the arsenal to work on material for the railways, as If it were not plain that this material would become war material sooner or later. Stopped All Traffic in Malines. "On May 80th, 1915, the governor general announced that he 'would be obliged to punish the town of Malines and Its suburbs by stopping nil commercial truffle If by 10 a. m. on Wednesday, June 2d, 5(H) workmen had not presented themselves for work ?? A 1 ? 1 in inn ursenai. "On Wednesday, Juno 2d. not a single man appeared. Accordingly, a complete stoppage took place of every vehicle within a radius of several kilometers of the town. "Several workmen were taken hy force and kept two or three days at the arsenal. "The commune of Sweveghm (western Flanders) was punished In June, 101!), because the SliO workmen at the private factory of M. Bekuert refused to make barbed wire for the German army. "The following notice woh placarded at Menln In July-August, 101 f?: Tly order: From today the town will no longer afford aid of any description?Including assistance to their families, wives, and children?to any operatives except those who work regularly at milltnry work, and other tasks assigned to them. All other operatives and their families can henceforward not he helped In any fashion.* Punished for Refusal to Work. "Similar measures were tnken In October. 101 fi, at Ilarlebekelez-Oourtral, Bisseghom, Lokeren, and Mons. From Harleheke 20 Inhabitants were transported to Germany. At Mons. In If f ?' 111 in. liriiuu n i urim v, nit- uiriTUirs, foreman. and 81 workmen were Imprisoned for having refused to work In the service of the (lerman army. M. Lenoir was sentenced to five years' prlsonment, the five directors to a year each, six foremen to six months, und the 81 workmen to eight weeks. "The general government had recourse also to indirect methods of compulsion. Tt seized the lielglan lied Cross, confiscated Its property, and changed Its purpose arbitrarily. It attempted to make Itself master of the public charities, and to control the national aid and food committee. "If we were to cite In extenso the decree of the governor general of August 4th, 101B. concerning measures intended to assure the carrying out of works of public usefulness, and that of August l.r?th, 'concerning the unemployed, who, through Idleness, refrain from work,' It would be seen by what tortuous means the occupying power uttempts to attack at once the masInru o rwl K Fines Imposed Without Reason. The German authorities were nut satisfied with one Impoverishing levy. In November, 101 r?, one month before the expiration of the twelve-month period fixed for the levy, they decreed that the contribution of 40.000.000 francs a month should he paid for nil Indefinite period. In November, 1910, they Increased the levy to 50,000,000 francs a month. In addition, faithful to the method laid down by the high command, the German authorities have continued to levy fines upon towns and villages for acts committed In their neighborhood, although they had no proof that these acts had been ?om.nitted by any Inhabitant of the city or village thus fined.