Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-18
Wife of Belgian Minister of
Justice Tells of I'M
prisonment.
REVEALS ACCUSATIONS
MADE BY GERMANS
Murderesses and Thieves Surround
Her While in Teuton
Prison.


PARIS, September 30.-'When one
knows why to live. how to live is OF
very little Importance, yet it was a
great relief to my nerves to get out
from behind German prison bars" said
Nine. Carton de Wharf, wife Of the
Belgian minister Of justice. to the AS
est in prison reforms" she added.
Nine. de Wharf has for some time been
a corresponding member of the New
York Prison Association.
ut was by no favor that I was re-
leased" she declared; II had served
out the sentence of the court-martial,
three and a half months imprison-
ment. and 1t was only on being re-
leased that I learned I was also con-
demned to exile. They wanted to keep
me in Germany. but through the eff
forts of the Spanish ambassador I was
allowed to go to Switzerland, where
my husband Joined me. Everything
was arbitrary in the proceedings
against me and the afterthought of
exile was purely a military expedient
to keep me out of my country.
Explains Her Actions.
What 1 managed to do, all the WON
en- of Belgium did as far as their stu
alton enabled them to do-that was to
1elp the millions of Belgians who re-
manned in their country to get news
from fathers. sons and husbands who
have been fighting for many long
months; 1t was an act Of elementary
humanity that every man with heart
must approve. Those who live far
away from the furnace of war are per-
maps not always able to comprehend
the situation of the mothers. wives and
children of the occupied regions of Bel
sian and northern France. in whose
minds is repeated each day since the
beginning. the agonizing question
whether a cherished one has not been
killed or wounded or is not waiting
In dfrest distress last word from home
I have, with a great many others done
what could to alleviate such suffer
ings. especially among the poor people.
AT the same time l took good care to
prevent any correspondence that might
concern military operations themselves.
When the Belgian government re-
ured to Antwerp l remained in Brus-
sells with my children. the youngest Of
whom was only year old. Being the
w1fe OF the Belgian minister Of justice,
continued to occupy the apartments at
the ministry that are set apart for the
ministers family
The Germans ordered me out, saying
they required the premises for their
Belgium an Independent country. They
declared they would send soldiers to be
CHARTERED there, notwithstanding. For
mooths the troops of the guard occu-
pied the ministry at night. and during
All that time no visitor could gain ac-
60. to my apartments without being
challenged, questioned and showing
papers"
Travels Through Belgium.
Endsavoring to keep up the Juvenile
courts instituted in Belgium by a law
introduced by her husband and organ
issd after the plan of the juvenile
courts Of Denver and other American
cities. Nine. de Wharf travelled about a
great deal all through Belgium Her
activity awakened the suspicious of the
kommandatur.
They forced their way into my
apartments. ostensibly seeking evil
dence of a plot against the German
government" she said, Selling a waste
paper basket and spending hours in
matching together and FASTING up
other papers. OF all they found the
most compromising In their eyes were
two priests cassocks, copies of Cardi-
nal Merciers pastoral letters, papers
containing speech delivered by NJ de
Wharf in Paris, December 20, 1914, and
letter addressed to the kommandatur.
torn up instead of being delivered.
After the search I was arrested on
the charges of circulating Cardinal
Mercier's letter and my husband's
speech. and with facilitating the CORE
spondence of Belgian people with their
Kindred in exile through other channels
than by the German post, via Aix-la-
Chapelle. Asked IL wished to be rep
resented by counsel, I refused, saying
would present my own case, as Bel
gan advocates do not recognize the au-
thortty of German courts martial by
pleading before them. / was accom-
panied only by the head of the order of
advocates of Brussels as a witness to
the proceedings.
German Accusations,
During the eighteen hours of close
Questioning that I endured they charg-
ed me With changing my costume rad
icalIy in order to SPY upon them: they
declared that the two priests cassocks
found in my apartments were intended
for DISCUSSES I denied nothing, ex-
planning simply that the cassocks were
g1fts intended for priests driven from
their churches and their homes by the
dsvAstations OF the German army. ]
admitted corresponding with my hus-
band and helping poor people who had
no facilities to do the same. told
them I knew the risk / was taking,
bat that didn't admit their right to
tudgs me-.
after eighteen hours cross-examina-
ton and considerable elaboration they
asked me II I had anything further to
say in my defense. No. / replied, all
have to say Is that II any one seeks
any favor for me you will please not
accord it.
They sentenced me to three and a
half monthS imprisonment and sent
me to Berlin ON two hours notice, CIV
ing me only q few minutes to embrace
my children. Arrived at Berlin, they
told me I was to go to apartments that
had been reserved for me at hotel
But / have been sentenced to prison.
] protested: you must send me to pris-
on They took me to a woman's pris-
on as soon as the papers arrived from
Brussels and kept me In solitary con-
finement. The only distinction they
made between me and the murderesses
and thieves was that the former were
allowed TO promenade in the court In
company, while my outdoor exercise
was solitary"
Nine. de Wharf has been joined by
her youngest son, Hubert, and her
daughter, Ghislaine. but her other chill
dren are still in Brussels under the care
of their grandmother.
Mime. de Wharf attributes her arrest
and exile to q general policy Of the
German military governor. THE sole
preoccupation of the Germans in Bel.
gium." she says. "is to terrorize and
subdue the population, driving out sue
eessively all influences that run coun.