Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
ORDER
Of DEATH NOT
NEW IN ARMY
Evans Says Suicide of TraitOrous
Austrian by Command Of Fell
lows Has U. S. Precedents.

Army men of Atlanta are discus
sing among themselves the tragic
death of young Colonel Redl, of the
army of Austria, the story of whose
suicide is related in vivid press dis
patches. Proved a traitor, Redl was
presented with revolver by his best
friends, and was left alone in his
room. He shot himself through the
head.
Brigadier General r. X. Evans, head
Of the Department Of the Gulf, feels
that the course Of both the young
Austrian and his friends probably was
the best.
1T showed spirit. 1t was soldier
~ he said. And yet such situa-
lions and such remedies are not con-
hned to the army. A man in any.
profession, disgraced, NAV feel it bet
ter for himself and for his friends
that he were dead. II is not unusual
And as for the action of his friends
in Offering the solution, wen. it was
not unnatural. once upon a time
Suggested Same Method.
And General Evans told of an in
cident in his subaltern days, when he,
sincerely enough, suggested to COM
Fade In disgrace that death probably
was the best way out. The comrade,
a young officer, had lost through gam
bling some public money which had
been entrusted to him, had fled, was
recaptured.
He didn't do II, though" said the
general. He went to prison instead
he. born and reared a gentleman.
Maybe he didn't have the spirit OF
this Austrian soldier, Anyhow, when
he got out, he was the most miserable
person alive. and is now, perhaps
Such a case as that of the Aus
TRAN is not recorded in the annals
of the American army. But ! have
no doubt that affairs Ike that have
| occurred in private life"
However, the U. 5. navy had
somewhat similar episode less than
| two years ago
On January Is, 1911, dispatches
| from San Francisco told Of a scandal
in navy that came to Hight with the
enforced retirement of Rear Admiral
Edward b. Barry, then commanding
the Pacific fleet. a demand had been
made upon him to resign by subordf-
nate officers on board HIS flagship the
Virginia.
Sent Admiral Revolver.
Barry refused to resign and the Of
| fcers withdrew and decided to send
| him a loaded revolver as a sugges-
] ton that he end his career in the navy
| by suicide. This was not done. the
| officers waiting to give Admiral Bar
i ~ who was then 50 years of age with
40 years record Of service in the navy
to his credit, an opportunity TO re-
! sign. Ensign Sherwood A. bartender,
| officer of the deck had reported to his
| superior officers that he Witnessed
| scandalous conduct on the part Of the
admiral Barry in his cabin.
| The officers swore to keep the mat
ter secret II Barry would resign
Instead of doing this the rear ad-
miral wired Washington asking that
| he be retired at once.
| In the meantime the officers Of the
| Virginia drafted charges against Ad-
miral Barry containing the statement
Of what Ensign Taffender had seen in
the admlrals cabin. The document
was addressed to the secretary of the
navy, handed to Captain Orchad of
the Virginia who passed 1t up to Rear
| Admiral Barry with the request that
It be forwarded. Barry did not for
| ward II. Then the officers wrote an
other set Of charges and mailed them
to the secretary of the navy Barry's
retirement followed a sweeping denial
Of the charges.
Sensation In Europe.
The case of Colonel RedI has caused
a sensation in Europe
He was one OF the chiefs of the Sc
cret Service Department. He was
| charged with selling important secrets
to the Russian Government. His
apartment was searched and a num-
Der of discriminating documents were
found, some of which showed that he
had given to the Russian Government
draft plans for Simultaneous action
on the part Of the Austrian and Ger
man armies against Russia in case Of
| war
The war office, on receiving con-
| frmation of the report, sent two OF
his fellow officers TO Redl During
| the night they informed him OF the
| charges against him. As ne was un-
| able to clear himself, they warned him
that they would return AZ daybreak
| and arrest him.
| On leaving the room, one Of them
took a loaded pistol from his pocket
and a book of instructions. He open
! ed the book. and placed IL in front
| of Redl with a meaning glance. The
| officers then mounted guard outside
the room until the noise of a shot
| told them that the accused had chosen
| the only way. They ascertained that
Redl was dead, and reported to the
/ war office.
at was their DUTY to arrest him
having found the evidence against
| him." said General Evans. comment
ing on the story But the fact that
! thev guarded his quarters. freed them
| Of any charge Of giving him opp0r-
| tunity to escape. The whole affair is
not unusual. however and may occur
in private life"
IMou Vohn I avs T,I1ck