The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-10-31
The Last Hours
Of Edith Cavell
BY HUGH GIBSON
BY HUGH GIBSON
First Secretary American Legation Brusses)
(From and Water, London)

the .'crime" of assisting soldiers to
reach a country at war with Ger
many.
Miss CaveIl was tried under para
graph IS of the German Military
Code. which says:
Any persons who, with the inten-
ton of aiding the hostile power or
causing harm to German or allied
troops, is guilty of one Of the crimes
of Paragraph 90 of the German Penal.
Code, will be sentenced to death for
treason.
The s'crime" referred to by para
garph 90 was that of Conducting
soldiers to the enemy (namely, dem
Feinde Mannschaften Zufurht.)
It is manifest that this was a
strained reading of the provisions of
military law, that a false interpreta-
ton was wtlfully put upon these pro-
visions in order to secure q convic-
ton. The law was obviously framed
to cover the cases Of those who assist
stragglers or soldiers who have be-
come lost to get back to their own
lines and join their units. 1t is doubt
full whether trainers Of the military
law had foreseen anything SO indirect
and unprecedented as that of helping
soldiers cross the frontier into neu-
trail country in the hope that they
might subsequently find their way
back to their own army. Miss Cavell
assisted these soldiers to escape into
a neutral country which was bound,
e possible, to apprehend and intern
them. If these soldiers succeeded in
outwitting the watch authorities and
making their way to England, their
success would not to any fair-minded
person, increase the offence commit
ted by Miss Cavell.
Miss CaveIPs conduct before the
court was marked by the greatest
frankness and courage. She stated
that she had assisted these men to es-
cape into Holland because she thought
that If she had not done SO they
would have been seized and shot by
the Germans; that she felt that she
had only done her duty il helping to
save their lives. 6gsl
The Military Prosecutor replied
that while this argument might be
made concerning English soldiers, it
could not apply to Be1gians who
were free to remain In the country
without danger. The subsequent be-
havior of the German authorities to
the Belgian young men who renamed
in the country does not lend any con-
siderable weight to the remarks OF
the P,-blic Prosecutor;
In concluding his plea, the Public
Prosecutor asked that the court pass
the sentence of death upon Miss Ca
veil, and eight other prisoners among
the thirty-five brought to trial.
Upon ascertaining these facts,
Maitre de Leva1 called at the Politi-
cal department and asked that, the
vital having taken place, permission be
granted him to see Miss CaveI in
person as there could be no further
objection to consultation. Herr Con-
rad. an official of the Political de-
partment. who received Maitre de Lee
val, stated that he would make en-
quiry, Of the court and communicate
with him later. M
The foregoing are the developments
up to Sunday night. Oct 10TH Sub
sequent developments are shown by
the following extracts from journal
made at the time.
Brussels, Oct. IL, 1915-When I
came in yesterday morning, I found
information which seemed to confirm
previous reports, that Miss CayeIPs
trial had been concluded on Saturday
iefternoon and that the prosecution
had asked that the death sentence be
| imposed. Monsieur de Leval prompt
ly called up the Political department
on the telephone and talked to Con-
rad, repeating our previous requests
that he be authorized to see Miss Ca
veil in prison. He also asked that Mr..
Gahan, the English chaplain, be per-
mftted to visit her. Conrad replied
that It had been decided that Mr.. Ca
han could not see her, but that she
tHn1JId M 20 -
lclergymen Germans attached to the
prison; that M. de Lavel could not
zee her until the Judgment was pro-
nounced and signed He said that
as yet no sentence had been pro-
nounced and that there would prob
ably be delay of a day or two before
a decision was reached. He stated
that even If the Judgment of the court
had been given it would have no eff
feet until 1t had been confirmed by
the governor, who was absent from
Brussels and would not return fol
two or possibly three days. We ask
ed Conrad to inform the Legation i'm
lmediately upon the confirmation OF
the sentence in order that steps
might be taken to secure a pardon Il
the Judgment really proved to be one
of capital punishment. Conrad said
II SAA1SS AAC AA60 llO 11AlOIIIfe1LlOu TO Inc
leffect that the Court had acceded te
the request for the death sentence
but promised to keep US informed.
Despite the promise of the German
authorities to keep us fully posted
We were nervous and apprehensive
and remained at the Legation all day
making repeated enquiry by teIe.
phone to learn whether a decision
had been reached. On each of thes,
occasions the Political Department
Il renewed the assurance that we woult
be informed as soon as there was an,
news. Inorder to be prepared fol
every eventually, we drew up a petit
ton for clemency addressed to thu
IGovernor-General, and a GOVERNS
note addressed to Baron Won del
lLancken in order that they might b,
presented without loss of time in case
: of urgent need.
A number Of people had been ar
rested and tried for the offence O
helping men to cross the frontier t,
8 Holland, but the death sentence ha.
: never been inflicted. The usual thin,
was to give a sentence of imprison
ment in Germany. The officials a
the Political Department professed t.
[ be sceptical as to the reported inten
ton of the court to inflict the dealt
sentence, and led US to think tina
nothing Of the sort need be apDre