The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-22

and that there was not the slightest dan
ger OF a miscarriage OF Justice. II,
promised to keep me posted on develop
The trial took two days, endinr or
Friday, October 8. On Saturday I was
informed by an outsider that the trial
had taken place. but hat no judg ment
would be reached until a few days later
Receiving no report from NJ. Kirschen
! tried to find him. but failed, and sent
him a note on Sunday asking him To
send his report to the legation. At the
same time I obtained from a person
present at the trial information about
what had occurred. The following facts
we're disclosed:
Miss Cavell was prosecuted for hav-
ing helped English and French soldiers
as well as Belgian young men to cross
the frontier and go over to England.
She admitted not only that she had
helped soldiers to cross the frontier,
but also that some of them a thanked
her In writing when arriving in England.
This admission made her case so much
the more serious. because II 1t had only
been proved that h helped soldiers tc
traverse the Dutch frontier and no proof
was produced that those soldiers had
reached a country at val with Ger
many she would only have been sen
fenced for an attempt to commit a crime
and not with a crime being duly accom-
plished. As the case stood the sentence
fixed by German military law was
death.
''In an oral statement before the
court. Miss Cavell disclosed almost all
the facts Of the whole prosecution. She
was questioned in German, an inter-
prefer translating all the questions into
French. She spoke without trembling
and showed a clear mind. Often she
added some greater precision to her pre-
vious dispositions.
when asked why she had helped
soldiers to go to England. she replied
hat she thought that II she had not
done so they would have been shot by
the Germans. and therefore, she thought
she only did her duty to her country
In saving their lives The military pub
lie prosecutor asked the court to pass
the death sentence on Miss Cavell and
eight other prisoners among thirty-ive.
Judgment was postponed.
visited by Clergyman.
81 called on the political division Of
h German Government n asked. now
that the trial was over. hat permission
be granted mi to see Miss Caveli In Jail.
! also asked permission for Mr.. Gahan,
an English clergyman, to see Miss
Cavell. We were prepared at the lega-
ton to be ready for every eventually.
\ petition for pardon was addressed to
the Governor-General OF Belgium, trans
hitting a note addressed to Baron
Lancken.
ION Monday morning. Mr.. Conrad said
that Mr.. Gahan could not see Miss
Cavell, but that she could see three Pro-
testant clergymen attached to the prison.
and that / could not see her until judg-
ment was pronounced n signed. but
that this probably would only take place
In a day or two. I was very sur
prised still to receive. no news from NJ.
kirschen. While | was preparing a note
about the case at s i. NJ. | was privately
Informed that the judgment had been de-
livered at 3 O'Clock and that Miss Cavell
had been sentenced to Heath and to be
shot at . o'clock next morning.
This morning Mr.. Gahan called and
old me hat he had seen Miss Cavell
and had given her the holy communion.
He found her admirably strong and
calm. She asked Mr.. Gahan whether
she had made any remarks about any
thing concerning the legal side Of the
case and whether the confession she had
made before trial and in court was in
his opinion perfectly free and sincere.
Mr.. Gahan ga she told him that she
perfectly well knew what she had done
and that according to the law she was
guilty. She admitted her guilt. but was
happy to die for her country"
Document II is "a letter from Minister
WhitlOck TO Ambassador Page. dated
October 10 and enclosing copies OF all
The correspondence in regard to tho
case. Mr.. Whitlock remarks. Our
failure has been felt by us as a very
severe blow.
The German authorities" ne con-
tinues, were under no mi~sapprehension
as to our interest in the matter. The
papers attached speak for themselves
and require no further comment from
me-
Sir Edward Grey's Comments.
Document l6 Is a memorandum from
Sir Edward Grey. the British Foreign
Secretary. to Ambassador Page. under
date Of October 20 and acknowledges the
receipt Of Minister Whitlock's reports
and memorandum.
"Sir Edward Grey Is confident" the
letter says, that the news of the exc
cution Of this noble English woman will
be received with horror and disgust
throughout the CIVILIZED world. Tic at
titude of the German authorities. IL
possible, IL rendered worse by the dis
creditable efforts successfully made to
conceal the fact hat sentence had been
passed and was to be carried out inr-
mediatcly.
These efforts no doubt were prompted
by a determination 10 carry out the SEN
tence before an appeal from the finding
of the court martial could be made to a
higher authority and show in the clear
est manner that the German authorities
concerned were we'll aware that the
carrying out of the sentence was not
warranted by any consideration.
"Sir Edward Grey would request Am
bassador Page to express To Minister
Whitlock and the staff of the Tn ted
States Legation at Brussels the CRATE
full thank OF his Majcsty's Government
for their untiring efforts on Miss Cavelrs
behalf. Sir Edward Grey realizes that
Minister Whitlock was placed In "A very
embarrassing position by the failure II
the German authorities to inform him
hat sentence had been passed and would
be carried out at once. In order, there
fore. to forestall any unjust criticism
which might be made in this country
he Is publishing Minister Whltlock's de-
spatch to Ambassador Page without de-
lay"
Document II, a letter from Sir Ed
ward Grey to Cardinal Merry del Val
lated October 20. acknowledges the re-
ceipt Of information regarding the ef-
forts made by the Spanish Minister at
Brussels on behalf of Miss Cavell and
requesting the Cardinal TO inform the
Spanish Government OF his Majesty's
Governments appreciation.