Evening star., 1921-12-20
SAW TWELVE YANKS
HANGED IN FRANCE
Former Soldier Tells lnves-
tigating Committee of
Executions.

George H. Taylor of Philadelphia,
who served as a National Army man
overseas. told a Senate committee to-
day that he saw with his own eyes
twelve American soldiers hanged
around Is-Sur-Tille, France, from
April to June. 1919. but was unable
TO say whether any of them had been
convicted by court-martial.
One of the soldiers hanged, he de-
clared. was tried for assaulting a
French girl by a French court-mar-
tial at which one American officer was
present Taylor gave the name Of the
from Detroit, Mich. but the commit
tee later decided to omit the name
from its records.
Soldier Lynched.
Robert A. Harrison of Wilmington,
N. C., testified that in 1917 he wit
messed the lynching of a soldier. The
victim was a Mexican from Ell Paso
or Eagle Pass. Tex, who was Charged
win q crime against woman. and
not tried. "'iu
was told that the man had to be
hanged to save some officers from
oerng cashiered." Harrison declared.
llousn pair of field glasses Har-
which thirty men took part, "
"Nice Necktie Partx,p
IT was q nice little necktie party"
ne said Il saw the body later with
rope around the neck"
harrison told OF another lynchinp
aiter the armistice. which he declared
WAS as directed by "Hardboiled" Smith.
rms wrist Of mine," said Harri-
nun' s'.t;, iirting his left arm. was broken
,., Wnlie trying to save myself from
Hardboiled" Smith and a couple OF
his sergeantS "a
The witness said he saw men taken
70 the firing line without gas masks
or guns as a form of punishment
fressed as to the cause of the lynch
my, harrison said the victim had been
yard with toothbrush, "and they had
little party when he refused"
were you court-martialed? Sena-
TOR overman, democrat, North Caro-
lima, asked.
Mentions "Col. Holdbrook,~
Yes. The colonel cursed me and !
cursed him back, and he had me sent
to the firing line after trial. His
name? Col. Holdbrook. If 1 ever get
him I'll make him remember me.
Ihey wouldn't give me q gas mask
and my trouble today is due to gas,
the medical record shows"
Col. Walter Bethel, Gen.. Pershine's
recalled today before the committee
that in time of war court martial
death sentences did not require an
proval of the President Ques-
toned by Senator Watson, democrat,
Georgia, who laid charges of illegal
Bethel said that after war conditions
had ended the government directed
that all sentences be forwarded To
Washington for review.
Col. Bethel denied 1t was his in
ference. as suggested by Senator
watson, That executions were con-
tinuing.
Before going into the testimony the
committee listened to the reading OF
scores of kilograms to and from wit.
nesses respecting their attendance
many of them-former service men
telegraphed that they were without
funds, and others replied that they
could not come for So a day sub.
sistence, the Senate allowance.
"Gallows" Declared Crane,
The statement of William Cowles
of Minneapolis that the picture a,
Gievres purporting to be of a gal.
lows was in reality that Of a crane
was presented.
Col. Bethel reiterated that Ameri-
can soldiers charged with crimes
against French nationals were mot
tried and could not be tried by
French court-martial or civilian
courts. Senator Watson asked for
the records in the trial Of the eleven
with military law and was told that
they were ready for presentation to
the committee.
Col. Bethel was shown a picture
and asked II it was a gallows or a
gasoline crane. He replied:
ut looks like a gallows, but ]
never saw a gallows in my life.'
Objector Killed.
The case Of a conscientious objector
named Fry. who refused to carry his
pack and who was killed by order of
the guard, was brought up.
"The man who killed the soldier
was tried and acquitted" Col. Bethel
testified.
ut is our contention" said Senator
Watson, "that Fry was killed by a
sergeant, who drove a bayonet
through his heart"
Does the record show that?" asked
Senator Overman. democrat, North
Carolina
Called a. the % nrst witness whtna IN ms sup, p,
declared he saw two executions. The