Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-22

ems very positive and definite state
ment that there was no hope, and that
under the circumstances even the
Emperor himself could not intervene
we continued to appeal to every senti-
ment to secure delay.
THE Spanish minister even led Baron
Won Der Lancken aside in order to say
very forcibly number of things which
he would have felt hesitancy in saying
in the presence of the4iyounger officers
and of Mr.. Deleval Belgian subject
His Excellency talked very earnestly
with Baron Won Der Lancken for about
quarter of an hour. During this time
Mr. Deleval and / presented to the
younger officers every argument j could
think of. ! reminded them of our untir-
ing efforts on behalf of German subjects
at the outbreak of the war and during
the siege of Antwerp. ] pointed out
that while our services had been gladly
rendered and without any thought OF
future favors, they should certainly en-
title you to some consideration for the
only request of this sort you had made
since the beginning of the war unfor-
tunately our efforts were unavaHng
We persevered until it was only too
clear that there was no hope of secur-
ing any consideration for the case. We
left shortly after midnight and ] am
returned to the legation to report tie
you.
fsiened, HUG. GIBSON
A+torney's RepIy.
Counselor of Legation Deleval reported
to Mr. Whitlock that on the failure OF
the German authorities to reply to Mr.
Whitlock's request of Aug. q that Mr.
Deleval be permitted to see Miss Cavel
in order to have all necessary steps TAX
en- for her defense another letter was
dispatched Sept. 10, to which German
repiy on the 18th refused the request but
referred him TO Attorney klrschen VINO
had been assigned for the defense.
Attorney kirschen, Mr.. Deleval report
ed stated that Miss Cavel was being
prosecuted for helping soldiers cross the
frontier and that lawyers defending
prisoners before German military are
not allowed to see their clients before
trial and were not shown any document
of the prosecution but that trlai was
developed SO carefully and SLOWLY tnat
1t was possible to have fair knowledge
of ell the facts and present sooo oe-
fence for the prisoners
az Informed Mr.. kirschen,' Dr. De-
1eyars report continues. of my inten-
ton to be present at the trial SO as 10
watch. He dissuaded me from taxing
such an attitude, which, he said, wouio
cause great prejudice to the prisoner
cause the German judges to resent ana
cause almost an affront If ] was appear
ing to exercise a kind of supervision OF
the trial
Mr.. Delevars report says that Attor-
ney Kirschen assured him repeatedly
that the military court of Brussels al
ways perfectly fair and that Herr kir-
schen would keep him informed of all
developments in the case, but that Herr
Kirschen failed to give him any infor-
nation and that after the trial Mr.. De-
leval learned from other sources the
following:
Admitted Guilt
Miss Caveli was prosecuted for hav-
ing helped English and French soldiers
y
the frontier and go to England. She
admitted by signing statement be-
fore the day of the trial and by public
acknowledgment in court that she was
guilty of the charge, not only that she
had helped these soldiers to cross the
frontier but that also some of them
had thanked her in writing when ar
irving in England.
This last admission made her case
more serious because it had only been
proved she had helped soldiers to ira
verse the Dutch frontier and no proof
was produced that those soldiers had
reached country at war with Ger
many. She could have only been SEN
fenced for an attempt to commit the
crime and not for the crime being du,v
accomplished.
AS the case stood the sentence fixed
py the Germany military law was the
sentence of death"
Mr.. DslevaI's Report
The report Of MIR. Deleval says that
Miss Caveil, in her oral statement be-
fore the court, disclosed almost all the
facts of the prosecution. She spoke
without trembling and showed a clear
mind, and often added some greater
precision to her previous dispositions.
When she was asked why she help
ed these soldiers to go to England
the report of Mr.. Deleval continues,
she replied that she thought if she
had not done SO they would have been
shot by the Germans Therefore, she
thought she only did her duty to her
country in saving their lives"
The military prosecutor said the
argument might be good for English
soldiers, but that it did NOT apply to
Belgian young men. who would have
been perfectly free to remain In the
country without danger to their lives."
Herr Kirschen made . good plea tor
Miss Cavell sRys the report, but the