New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-30

that should make her lie sacred 70 tnem'
further called his attention to the manifest
failure Of the Political Department TO comply
will its repeated promises 20 keep us in
formed as to the progress Of the trial and
the passing of the sentence. The deliberate
policy of subterfuge and prevarication by
which they had sought TO deceive US as to the
progress of the case was so raw as to require
lttle comment. We all pointed out TO
Ltncken the horror Of shooting a woman, no
matter what her offence, and endeavored TO
impress upon him the frightful effect that
such an execution would have throughout the
civilized world With a sheer he replied that,
or the contrary, he was confident that the
eiioc. would be excellent.
When everything else had failed we asked
Ii ncken TO look at the case from the point
o. view solely of German interests, assuring
him that the execution of Miss Cavell would
do Germany infinite harm. We reminded him
o: the burning of Louvsin and the sinking OF
the Lustania, and told him that this murder
would rank with those two affairs and would
STIR all civilized countries with horror and
dsgust. Count Harrach broke in at this with
TIE rather irrelevant remark that he would
rather sec Miss Cavell shot than have harm
come to the humblest German soldier, and
has only regret was that they had not three
O.. four old English women to shoot"
The Spanish Minister and | tried to pre-
vail upon Lancken to call Great Hesdquar-
t.rs, at Charleville, on the telephone and
have the case laid before the Emperor for
His decision. Lancken stiffened perceptibly
a. this suggestion and refused, frankly-say-
ing that he could not do anything of the sort
Turning to Nillalobar, he said, Il can't do
trat sort of thing | am not a friend of my
sovereign as you are Of yours to which a
rtIonder was made that in order TO be
good friend one must be loyal and ready to
incur displeasurc in case of need However,
our arguments along this line came TO moth
ing, but Lancken finally came TO the point,
Of saying that the military governor of Brus-
sells was the supreme authority (Gerichts-
kerr) in matters of this sort, and that even
the Governor General had no power to inter-
vene. After further argument he agreed to
get General Won Sauberschweig, the military
governor, out Of bed TO learn whether he had
already ratified the sentence and whether
there was any chance for clemency.
Lancken was gone about half an hour, dur
ing which time the three Of us labored with
Hsrrach and Falkenhausen, without, am
sorry to say, the slightest success. When
Larcken returned he reported that the mill
tary governor said that he had acted in this
case only after mature delibcratior; that the
circumstances Of Miss Cavell's offence we're
Of such a character that he considered in
fiction Of the death penalty imperative.
Lincken further explained that under the
provisions OF German military law the &C.
richtshcrr had discretionary power TO accept
o.. TO refuse to accept all appeal for elem
cucy; that in this case the Governor re-
;letted that he must decline 20 accept the
appeal for clemency or any representations
in regard TO the matter.