The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-07-11
SOLDIER WHO WOULDN'T
FIGHT A REAL HERO
Private Stierheim, Conscientious Oh.
jector, Ministered to Comrades
Under Fire.

When Private Richard Stierheim.
Company D, 315th infantry, of Pitts
burg, stepped from the transport San
ia Rosa he faced a sentence of death
-presumably-for desertion. He is,
however, considered the bravest man
in the regiment, is honored and be-
loved by all his comrades, and is a
probable nominee for the COMPRESSION
al medal Of honor, says a Philadelphia
dispatch.
A conscientious objector, Stierheim
could not bear the idea of taking hu-
man life, and would not carry a gun,
but begged to be allowed to carry am
munition, %rations and water to his
comrades in the fighting line. His ut
ter disregard for his personal safety
in sticking to his task through the
most intense hostile fire is said to be
n of the finest examples of individ-
ual bravery of the war.
"He is brave beyond a question:"
said Colonel Alden C. Knowles, his
regimental commander. II consider
his services one of the bravest indi-
vidual acts of the war. But he would
not raise his hand to save the life of
a comrade if the raising of that hand
meant the taking of a life. He has
no particular religious affiliations. l
have talked with him and pleaded with
him but to no avail. l have studied
him and have him examined by ex-
perts, who pronounce him mentlly
sound. His case remains a mystery"
Stierheim was sitting quietly in his
home in Pittsburg when he heard his
number called in the draft, and before
he realized what had happened found
himself hurled into the vortex of the
vast fighting machine which was be-
ing prepared for service overseas. He
next found himself in a uniform, iost-
ling and being jostled by men who
talked of killing the Germans. Abhor-
rent as the idea of taking human life
had always been Stierheim refused to
carry a gun or any other kind of a
weapon. He willing performed any
task assigned to him, but he would
not fight.
Officers and men ordered him and
pleaded with him to change his atti-
tude, but without success. Feeling
convinced that the nearness Of danger
and the actual sight Of horrible afro
cities would quicken in him the fight
ing spirit, the 315th infantry took him
to France with them. But it had the
opposite effect. He had not been over
seas long when, before the Meuse-Ar-
come offensive he announced to sew
eral of his friends his intention to de-
sert and escape from it all.
So he slipped through the lines and
left the noise and horror of battle
far behind. 1t was not long, however,
before he was picked up and returned
to his organization. He was tried by
a general courtmartial. The death
sentence is obligatory upon conviction
of the charge of desertion in the face
of the enemy. The findings of the
court, which have not yet been made
public were reviewed by General Per-
shing and now are in the hands of Of
ficials Of the war department at Wash
ington.
Ministered to Comrades.
Though his fighting blood could not
be aroused even after his return to his
organization, the sufferings of his
comrades facing the enemy a short
distance ahead of him awakened with
in him the keenest sympathy. Their
hearts called to his and he felt he must
respond.
"Those boys up there must be thirs-
ty," he said. "May l take water up to
them?" he asked the colonel. Colonel
Knowles, who had been observing
Stierheim for some time, thought the
opportunity for him to redeem him
self had come, and said, eco ahead
So day after day, night after night,
Stierheim carrying ammunition, food
and water to his fighting comrades,
crossed and recrossed open fields ex-
posed to such intense artillery, rifle
and machine gun fire that it was
thought nothing living could go
through. And on his trips back from
the firing line for fresh supplies of
food and water his big, broad muscu-
lar back carried to the dressing sta
ton more than 100 of his comrades
who had "got theirs"
"We are all for him." shouted the
men as they patted the big back which
had carried many of them from the
trenches and shell holes to life and
safety.