The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-10-27
SLAY FEMALE SPY
GERMANS EXECUTE CONFESSED
ALDER OF ENEMY
CAUSE OF Much HORROR

fort to Save Condemned Woman
News of Sentence Kept Secret
No Charge OF Espionage-Helped
Soldiers Reach England.
The full report of the circum-
stances Of the conviction and execu-
ton of Miss Edith Cavill, an English
woman and head of training school
IL Brussels, for helping English,
French and Belgian soldiers to es-
cape from Belgium, made by Brand
Whitlock, American minister at Brus-
sells, to Walter H. Page, American
ambassador at London, was issued
by the British government Thursday
evening.
Minister Whitlock telegraphed to
Ambassador Page on the 18th: miss
Cavill sentenced yesterday and exc
cuted at 2 o'clock this morning, de-
spite our best efforts continued until
the last moment
Mr.. Whitlock's final appeal was in
the form of q note sent by messen-
ger late on the night of the 18th to
Governor Won der Lancken, reading
as follows:
"My Dear Baron: am too sick to
present my request myself, but ap-
peal to your generosity Of heart to
support it and save from death this
unhappy woman. Have pity on her
Yours truly, Brand Whitlock."
Mr.. whitlock also stated that Miss
CaYell had nursed German soldiers.
Mr.. Deleval, counsellor Of the
American legation, reported to Min
lister Whitlock:
."This morning Mr.. Gahan, an Eng
lisn clergyman, told me that he had
seen Miss Cayell in her cell last night
at 10 o'clock and that he had given
: her Holy Communion and had found
her admirably strong and calm.
SCI asked Mr.. Gahan whether she
had made any remark about anything
concerning the legal side of her case
and whether the confession which
she made before trial ans in court
was in his opinion perfectly free anr
sincere. Mr.. Gahan told me she was
perfectly well and knew what she hao
done; that, according to the. law. o.
: course, she was guilty and admitted
her guilt, but that she was happy tc
die for her country.
Secretary Gibson's report says that
Conrad, an official Of the German
civil branch, gave positive assurances
on the 11th that the American lega-
ton would be. fully informed Of the
developments in the case and con-
tinues:
:. sDespite these assurances, we made
repeated inquiries in the course o
the day. the last one being at 6.2t
o. M. Mr. Conrad then stated tha'
sentence had not been pronounced
and specifically renewed his previou:
assurances tina the would not fail tc
inform us as soon as there was any
news.
IeAt $50 it was learned from ar
outside sources that sentence hae
been passed in the course Of the after.
noon, before the last conversation
with Mr.. Conrad and that execution
would take place during the night.
Secretary Gibson thereupon sought /
the Spanish minister, with the Ameri
can minister's note for clemenry
any, with Mr., Deleval, they went tf
Won der Lancken's quarters. Findins
the governor and his staff absent
they te]ephoned to them, asking their
to return on a matter Of utmost ur.
gency. The governor and his stat
returned soortly after 10 O'Clock.
Secretary Gibson's report to Minis
ter Whftlock continues:
"The circumstances Of the case
were explained to him and. your note
was presented. He read it aloud il
our presence. He expressed disbe
lief in the report that sentence hat
actually been passed, and manifested
some surprise that we should giv'
credence to any report not emanatins
from official sources. He was quite
: insistent OF knowing the exact sourc'
Of our information, but this did no
feel at liberty to communicate to him
s Baron Won der Lancken stated
that it was quite improbable tha>
sentence he'd been pronounced, ant
even if so it would not be executed
in so short time, and that, in an
event, it would be quite impossible tt
take any action before morning.
cit was of course pointed out ,te
him that if the facts were as We be
lieyed them to be, action would bs
useless unless taken at once. W
urged him to ascertain the facts a
once. This, after some hesitancy, h
agreed to do. He tciephoned to tn
presiding judge of the court-martial
and returned to say that the fact
were as we had presented them, an
that it was intended to carry out th'
sentence before morning.
eve then presented as earnestl'
as possible our plea for delay. s.
far as am able to judge. we neglec'
cd to present no phase of the matte
which might have ha dany effect
emphasizing the horror Of executin
a woman, no matter what her Of
fence, and pointing out that The
death sentence had heretofore bee
imposed only for actual cases of es
pionage, and that Miss Cavell was nc
even accused by the German authorl
ties of anything so serious.
etI further called attention to tn
failure to comply with Mr.. Conrad
promise to inform the legation
sentence. / urged that, iDasmuch a
the offences charged against Mis-
Cavell We're long since accomplished
and as she had been in prison TO
some weeks, delay in carrying ou
the sentence could entail no DANCE
to the German cause. I even Wen
so far as to point out the fearful ef
feet of a summary execution Of thi'
sort upon public opinion, both her
and abroad, and, although I had ne
authority for doing so called atten
ton to the possibility that j. Nigh
bring about reprisals.'
Italy Seeks American Money.
Announcement was made at New