THE VERY STONES CRY OUT,
Reading edition
“Thou art the man”
The German Government states officially in contradiction of the report made by the Havas Agency that German artillery purposely destroyed important buildings at Rheims, that, on the contrary, orders were given to spare the Cathedral by all means.
Count von Bernstorff. Washington, September, 1914.
On Sept. 19 the cathedral was fairly riddled by bombs during the entire day, and at about 3:45 the scaffolding surrounding the north tower caught fire. This fire lasted about one hour, and during that time two further bombs struck the roof, setting it also on fire.
The monument, about which no troops were massed, towers above the rest of the town; to avoid it, in view of the uselessness of destroying it and because it was serving as a hospital, would have been an easy matter.
It would seem that the only explanation which can be offered was blind rage upon the part of the besieging army.
Mr. Whitney Warren’s Official Report to the French Government. September, 1914.
