El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-05
HURLED
IN BOMBS NEW
H0RR0R0F WAR
Turns Lung Tissues Into
Liquid, Causing Slow,
Torturing Death.
NO HOPE FOR THE
MEN 1T TOUCHES

JEW YORK. June 5.-A letter from
N Maj. Gen. Edward Stuart Wortley,
commander Of a British army corps
in France. is made public here by his
brother. Ralph Stuart WOrtley, Of New
York, giving this distinguished officers
tribute TO the behavior Of a Canadian
division in France, and describing the
horrors which resulted from the use OF
asphyxiating gases by the Germans.
Turns Tissues into Liquids.
The effect Of these gases upon the
men who inhale them. he says. has been
TO turn all the tissues Of the lungs into
liquid, and during the two days that it
takes for the men TO die, the victims are
the most hopeless, helpless. sickening
sight ina ginable."
The letter follows:
You will, of course, have read OF
the fighting that has been going on
round Ypres just lately, and Of the
magnificent behavior of the Canadian
division. o.. e In their attack on the
Npres salient the Germans made use OF
asphyxiating gases This gas is des-
seminated both in shells and bombs and
also from cylinders, which are buried
in the trenches with their MOBILES
pushed through the parapets- The taps
Of the cylinders are then turned on and
the gas which is as far as we know.
is heavier than air. and which is blown
by the wind across our lines, sinks
into our trenches and kills or incapaci-
tates any men who happen to be in
them. The effect OF the gas can also
be felt as far back as five or six miles
and produces headaches and a smarting
OF the eyes.
Considered Humane Death.
The German papers. as well as false
" accusing US OF making use Of pois-
.1nFarrHa faf
conduct by stating that the dissesmi-
nation Of this gas results in a swift
and painless death for those with whom
il comes in contact, and consequently IS
less barbarous than subjecting men TO
an inferno of shell fire from which
great physical and mental torture must
necessarily be endured
I am sure the public cannot have
as yet the slightest idea Of this last
damnable effort on the part Of the Ger
mans TO disregard all laws Of humanity
ana civilization
slow, Torturing Death.
T have seen our men in hospital
after having been brought back from
the trenches There IS no need 10 ask
for the ward in which they are, as their
grooming is quite sufficient a direction
Of itself. In one ward there are is
ca ses They are all sitting bolt upright,
or swaying back and forwards. gasping
for breath: their faces. hands and necks
=
glazed. and unable absolutely TO speak
or feed.
1T takes two days for these men to
die. During these two days they are
in the most acute agony, and if by the
slightest chance they recover from the
poison they Will in all probability be
rendered useless for life. as the effect
of the gas is TO turn all the tissues OF
the lung into liquid. The doctors and
nurses are working day and night in
the attempt to give some relief But
there is nothing TO be done. 1t is the
most hopeless. helpless. sickening sight
ina ENABLE. Our medical officer, who
has had a very large experience OF the
habits Of African and Asiatic natives,
tells US that in all his life he has never
had to deal with such an example OF
scientific torture.
AT first I was inclined to disbelieve
the accounts Of the i'll treatment Of cur
prisoners at the hands Of the enemy and
to put them down TO the inevitable eX-
aggerations of warfare, BUT now zhat L
have come face to face with German
methods in the field, my opinions have
gradual but permanent
change"
Is Friend of Emperor.
Gen. Stuart-W ortley was formerly on
terms Of considerable intimacy with
emperor William. Of Germany teW
summers ago, when the emperor was
ordered by his physicians to spend some
weeks at the Engli 81 seashc-e. the gen
eral placed his country seat, on the
coast, at the emperor's dis
posal-