The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-07-11
Conscientious Director Now Un-
der Guard Is Loved by His
Fellows.
BRAVERY ON BATTLE FRONT
Attended the Wounded and Saved the
Fighting Men While the Battle
Raced-His Fellows Declare
He Deserves the D. S. c.

New York.-Richard Stierheim is I'M
der guard at Camp Dix as Il conScien-
tiOus Objector who refused to bear
arms in France.
Yet companions who fought by his
side in the 10Th division VOW that
Stierheim is one of the bravest men
in the entire division.
Stierheim is Il member of Company
d, 315th infantry. He lives in IpgO-
mar, q small town, some miles north
of Pittsburgh. He is twenty-seven
years old, stands 6 feet l in his stock
ing feet, and is built on massive lines.
The best boy in the division" is
the unanimous verdict of every man
in the organization when Stierheim is
mentioned. He is the best dugout
builder, the best ammunition bearer,
q Gungha Din, nurse, and numerous
other things. Dick" Stierheim has
no warmer friends than his compan-
ions at Camp Dix, who now are await
ing discharge from the army.
When seen at Camp Dix by q re-
porter for The World, Stierheim was
the perfection of modesty, reticence,
and other kindred virtues. Only by a
most rigorous third degree was it pos
sible to extract his story from him.
Stierheim was drafted while he was
working in the SparrOws Point ship
yard near Baltimore. For the greater
part Of his 81 years he has followed
his trade of carpenter. He was sent
to Camp Meade, Maryland, and there
trained for service. He drilled with
the rest of the men and went with
them to the rifle range. At last the
regiment sailed for France.
~ Object to All Wars"
81 drilled with a rifle Over there for
two days. Stierhelm said, and then
/ decided to have the courage of my
convictions and not handle a rifle any
longer. And from that day to this l
have been under guard. l think l am
still technically under guard, but
am not certain.
II do not claim any connection with
any religious creed. l was born and
reared q Roman Catholic, but / do not
claim to be q member of that church
now. I attended services when l "a
at home because my father and moth
err wanted me to. l have not gone to
church since entering the army.
II do believe in God and l believe
in the Bible. That book contains ten
commandments, one of which fOrbids
the killing of your fellowman.
"And then Il lot of rulers get to-
gether and say TO hell with the Ten
Commandments! And they go ahead
and do as they please. 1 object to all
wars. | object as much to the United
States making war upon Germany as
do to Germany making var upon the
United States. There is no distinction.
"They Thought | Was Yellow"
"They thought / was yellow when
/ would not fight, but l think l have
proved to them that | was not. But
still | didn't do anything worth talking
about"
Deeds of most extraordinary hero
ism are accredited to Stierheim during
his days in France.
He deserted his company a short
time after his arrival in France. He
admitted when brought before q court
martial that he had done SO.
"Then they caught me. l was head
ed for Spain, and when / was court
martialed | told the officers so. |
pleaded guilty and told them why
had deserted. That was all there was
to it. II has not interested me enough
to bother TO get a copy of the charges