Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-10
ACCORDING TO HIS LIGHTS
A Conscientious objector But Not Stacker Nor a
Coward.
HE STORY OF PRIVATE RICHARD sTIERHEIM
Soldier Who Was Willing to Die Rather Than Kill; But
Was Absolutely Without Fear, and Devoted Himself
to the Service of His Fellow Soldiers.

were trying to kill our men just as
we were trying to kill them. No. L
didn't feel any more against them after
nv fellows were shot down than | did
before"
Went Into No Mans Land.
J On one occasion, according to Stier-
heim's companions, sergeant of the
company was shot down in No Mans
Land. Stierheim walked out alone
where he had fallen. He stopped over
the fallen man for moment and then
he returned.
There's no use," was his report,
hes dead. If you want me to I'll go
out again and bring him in; but he's
dead and you can't do anything for
him now"
On another occasion Stierheim was
found tugging at a half-buried log In
a trench. He called to some of his
fellows to help him get it out. The
trench was not more than breast high
for an ordinary man, and Stierheim
lowered above any Of his companions.
Get away from there" they called;
You'll get shot"
But this'll make a peach Of sup
port for dugout!" he returned.
Then some of the men helped him
to get it out, and it took them more
than two hours to carry the log fifty
yards, because of the enemy machine
gun fire.
And it was a fine dugout he built.
too" boys in the barracks said.
Stierheim, because of his mechanical
genius, was the official dugout builder
of the outfit His work was excep-
tionally fine, the boys said.
Was Always Ready to Aid.
There was nothing that the objector
would not do for his fellows. They tell
of his washing shirts for the n, bind
ing up wounds and he was always
ready for the burying of the dead or
the helping of men who had fallen.
Stierheim, according to his fellows,
went into places no other man would
venture to get water for the company
or to bring up food. He walked un-
concernedly through she'll -raked val
leys and over machine-gun swept
hillocks on his missions, and all as II
he were walking along one of the roads
back home in the little village of lingo
mar.
did 1 feel frightened?" quiried
Stierheim yesterday. How do you
feel when you're frightened? To tell
the truth, was so busy I didn't have
time to stop to find out how l felt.
But there was no place that was safe
within two miles of the trenches and
there was no use of thinking of danger
any more up front than there was back
In the billets. Your chances Of get
ting hit were good any place"
Made it Easy for Guard.
The boys of Company D tell that
there were many times when Stierheim
could have gotten away, but he did not
want to get the guard in charge of him
in trouble. There were many times
when he had to look up the guard be-
fore going back to the guardhouse.
They tell of him going through crowds
calling out the name of the man whose
prisoner he was in order that they
could go back together.
AS Stierheim sat on the edge Of his
bunk, he wore a uniform much the
worse for the wear. 1t was worn and
dirty and his overseas cap was in bad
shape. It was learned that Stierheim
because of being in custody did not re-
ceive the same issues of clothing as
did the other men.
II sure was lousy at times" he said
Sometimes l went good long while
before l could change clothes or get
bathed. One of the boys gave me this
overseas cap when we were up in
front They didn't issue me any. All
that / got was a campaign hat"
And because of this hat Stierheim
was the butt of many jokesters as he
marched with his company, Company
D, always with four guards about him,
from one place to another.
The objector was not issued a gas
mask, the boys said, and one was pro-
vided by his companions.
II never wore a gas mask" Stier-
helm said. THE one that had wasn't
any good anyway"
Stierheim is known as Sweets"
among the fellows because Of his fond
ness for candy. He is also known for
a voracious appetite.
II guess you'd have one, too." said
the soldier, 'if you had gone on bread
and water as much as ] did over
there"