Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-10
to 'SerVlc'
Philadelphia Public Ledger.

Death is preferable to a prison term
to. Richard Stierheim, the conscientious
obiector who refused to carry arms
but yet is declared to be the bravest
man in the Seventy ninth division by
his companions.
I'VE all have to die once" SAID
Stierheim as he sat on his bunk in
barracks at Camp Dix yesterday. 1T
might as well be now as any other
time"
Stierheim is q member of Company
d. 315th infantry. His home is in lingo
mar, a small town just north OF Pitts
burgh. He is six feet one inch In his
stocking feet and is of massive build.
To his companions he is wonder
He Is a champion dugout builder,
good Samaritan, a Gunga Din and
many other things all in one, according
to the boys with whom he went
through the war.
Stierheim himself is extremely reti-
cent. 1t was only by bits and dabs that
this story was got from him. He SEEM
ed extremely embarrassed when some
passing companion put in word OF
praise for him.
In making his objections to war,
Stierheim claims no connection with
and religious creed.
81 do not profess any religion in par
ticular" he said. 81 was born and
raised a Roman Catholic, but l do not
claim to be a member of the church
now. l attended services when l was
at home because my mother and faith
er wanted me to. l have not gone to
church since entering the army.
'T do believe in God and l believe in
the Bible. That book contains ten
commandments, one of which forbids
the killing Of your fellow-men. And
then a lot of rulers get together and
say To hell with the ten command
ments,' and they go ahead and do as
they please.
He Objects to All Wars.
'I object to all wars. 1 object to the
United States fighting Germany just
as much as / object to Germany fight
ing the United States. There is no
distinction.
"They thought perhaps was yellow
when 1 would not fight, but think
that / proved to them that l was not.
And yet I didn't do anything worth
Dragging about"
The soldier showed no concern what
soever about the future of his case.
1.-The newspapers this morning say
that the sentence for my deserting
when thought that was the only
thing for a conscientious objector to
do was death. If that's the case, I'm
not worrying. Death has no fears for
me. But l do not want to go to jail
and / would rather face the firing
squad, If what I have done is such a
tremendous crime"
He Deserted in France.
Stierheim deserted his company a
short time after he had landed In
France. When taken before a court
martial he freely admitted that he had
deserted.
'T was headed for Spain when they
caught me-" Stierheim explained yes
terday And 1 told the officers that
when I was court -martialed. pleaded
guilty. Then 1 told them why l had
done it. That was all there was to 1t.
I have not even bothered about getting
a copy Of the charges or of the re-
cords of the trial. 1t is up to the au-
thorities now and l do not know what
my standing is"
The soldier roamed at will about
Camp Dix yesterday, although all dur
ing the fighting in France he was un-
der guard.
On one occasion, just before one o.
the drives, Steirheim, escaped from
his guard, and was shot at twice, but
returned of his free will.
II was afraid I might get the guard
into trouble" he explained. 81 made
up my mind that 1 wanted to get
away. The guard had orders to shoot
tc kill. 1 told him l was going and
that If hc was good shot 1 probably
wouldn't get away. He fired at me
Twice anu piSltS SShNiiS
me. l was two miles from my outfit
when I decided to turn back. Icould
have gone much further and probably
could have got away altogether. But
then you know the army regulations
are that the guard takes the place of
the prisoner that escapes from him."
Stierheim has no desire to receive
the Distinguished Service Cross or any
other decoration for his many deeds
of valor on the battlefields.
"Oh, l guess I would take it if they
gave it to me-" he replied when ques-
toned, but I'm not hankering after
any decorations. It's the ones that did
something that should get 1t.
Praises Work Of Chaplain.
'Pn tell you fellow that deserves it.
That's Chaplain Lancaster There's
a man that did some real work and
saw him do it. l worked with him
good bit while we were at the front"
Stierheim was drafted while work
ing in the shipyards at Sparrows
Point, near Baltimore. He was a car
penter and had worked at that trade
for the major part Of twenty y-seven
years of his life. He was taken to
Camp Meade, where he trained. He
drilled with his company and went to
the rife range once with them.
Then the regiment went to France.
81 drilled with a rife over there for
two days." said Stierheim, land then
I decided to have the courage of my
convictions and not handle rife any
longer. And from that day to this l
have been under guard. / think l am
still technically under guard, but l am
not certain"
During the fighting Stierheim did all
sorts of daring deeds. The boys tell Of
his walking out through No Mans
Land with huge can of water on his
shoulder giving aid to the wounded
and helping where he could. He car
ried rations and munitions and did