The Kingdom of serbia : report upon the atrocities committed by the Austro-Hungarian Army during the first invasion of Serbia

PILLAGE 153

Among the houses pillaged special mention must be made of those owned by Simon Kostitch and Stevan Paritch, aged 73, of Leshnitza, who was himself taken away by the Austrians after they had robbed him of four oxen, three cows, twelve pigs, three sheep, ete. They also burnt 700 stooks of corn, each representing about 40 kilogrammes of wheat.

Ioan Maletitch, aged 60, deposes: In the village of Leshnitza the Austrians burgled the post-office safe, value of contents unknown, as well as the parish safe, from which they took 200 frs. The records of Leshnitza were destroyed.

Viadimir Popovitch, aged 60, pope of the village of Rumbanje, deposes that in his village everything was sacked by the Austrians.

Sima Raditch, aged 57, of Lipnitza. The Austrians, after burning his corn, wanted likewise to set fire to his barn. When his wife Draghinia, aged 57, implored them to spare it, the sole answer of the soldiers was to shoot her. After this murder the soldiers pillaged, and looted 320 frs. as well as a Savings Bank Book worth 2,000 frs. They drank “raki ” and what they could not drink they allowed to run out.

Ivan Maditch, of Loznitza, aged 38, declares the following : Loznitza had much to suffer when the Austrians passed through for the first time. After passing through for the second time, they bombarded the town with fougasses. Two soldiers who attempted to extinguish a fire caused by these projectiles were burnt. Everything in the town was pillaged ; merchandise which could not be

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