The evening world., 1919-07-31
F. FREY
SLAIN BY SENTINEL
FOR DISOBEDIENCE
Paterson Man Not Killed Be-
cause He Was a ConScien-
tiouS Objector.
lsrocI.l to Tn. nrrninr wrld.l }


WASHINGTON. July II. - That
Private Frank Frey Of Paterson. NJ j..
Company ID. s0eth Infantry, was
killed by sentinel as a direct result
OF wilful dlsobedience Of orders in
time Of war and in face OF the enemy.
is disclosed by inquiry at the War
Department, following a sensational
report brought back from France by
the dead soldiers "buddies'' that he
had been bayoneted to death because
he was a conscientious objector.
An investigation into the circum-
stances surrounding the soldiers
death which has been conducted
shows that Frey was not listed as a
conscientious objector when he filled
out his draft papers and he did not
ask for exemption on this account.
There Is, War Department officials
say, no record OF the soldiers refusal
to carry a rife, and II appears that
he went on the rife range and WILL
ingly practised during the training
period, which conscientious objectors
usually refused to do. IL develops
that he did subsequently make state
ments TO one or two Of his comrades
4 that he entertained scruples against
killing, but he had never presented
these views to his commanding officer.
Placed under British non-com-
missioned officer after arrival In
France, and put through rigorous bay
onet practice daily. the soldier is al
legged to have become insubordinate
and his opposition to fighting became
intensified.
While on the bayoneting field at
| Boulinghem he threw down his gun
and refused 90 drill and as a result
he was tried by court martial August
II, 1918. for refusal TO obey orJc,s
and sentenced TO two years imprison-
ment and IS per month to be held
out of his pay for period of one
year. Before the reviewing authori-
ties had time to act on this the SOL
dier was killed by a guard two weeks
later.
An investigating board was ap-
pointed and the facts of the case as
reported by this board were as fol-
lows:
At VItrey. on the way to the front,
Frey detrained with his organization,
but refused TO pick up his pack and
move out OF the way OF his company,
which was marching off a narrow
railroad platform.
After he had refused to obey the
order to move, the matter was re-
ported 10 the battalion commander by
his company officer. The battalion
commander sent an officer Of the
guard requesting the detail OF a sem
tinel. A private answered the sum
mons and was directed by the bat
| talon commander To see that Frey
picked up his pack and moved on.
The evidence shows that the SEN
tinel twice directed Frey to obey
these instructions. Frey is alleged TO
have become very sulky and assumed
crouching position as II about 10
spring upon the guard, who then
struck him with his bayonet, piercing
his left breast. Frey died immedi-
ately, before an organization surgeon
could reach him. Following military
procedure. the sentinel was placed
under arrest and later tried by gen.
eral court martial, on Aug. 81. The
court martial eXonerated the sentinel,
agreeing with the board investigating
Frey's death that he was killed while
not in the line Of duty and as a direct
result of wilful disobedience in time
of war and in face of the enemy
The soldiers mother, who lives at
No. lis Putnam Street, Paterson, will
be prevented from receiving insur-
ance money as a result OF Frey meet
ing death outside the line Of duty.