The New York herald., 1921-11-04
PROOF OF HANGINGS
OFFERED BY WATSON
He Presents Statements by
Comrades of Conscientious
Objector, Bayonetted.
ATTACKS WADSWORTH
Demands Open Hearings
of Charges-Resents
Criticisms.
SHOWS GALLONS PICTURE
Produces Letter From Albany
Major About Severe 20
Year Sentences.
SHOWS GALLOWS PICTURE
Special Despatch to TIE NEW YORK HnsAlD.

Special Despatch to TIE NEW foEK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. g.. Nov. 3.
Renewed charges by Senator Wat
son (Georgia) that American soldiers
were executed without trial in France
kept the Senate in continued turmoil
lively session on the same subject
tomorrow.
Senator Watson, rising to a ques-
tion of personal privilege, submitted
letters and kilograms from ex-service
men offering to furnish proof of his
charges.
K Republican and Democratic leaders
had a conference with Senator Wat
son and attempted to reach an agree
ment to abandon the inquiry Of Wat
sons allegations by a special commit
zee of the Senate.
Wants Open Senate Hearing.
Senator Watson had previously re-
fused to recognize the authority of the
committee to summon him as witness
anu III VIC" VI LIS dttieuhC SiiC ou6
gestion was made that the committee
be discharged. When arrangements had
been made to carry out this suggestion
unexpected opposition arose and plans
became uncertain.
The Georgia Senator insisted that he
would not appear before the special
committee, but would present his evil
dence on the floor Of the Senate.
To-day's fiareup broke out when Sena-
tor Watson presented clippings from the
passaic. n. j., Journal of July 30, 1919,
purporting to give statements of COM
rades of Private Frank Frye of Pater-
, son, Of Company d. S09th Infantry, to
the effect that he was bayonetted to
death for refusing to carry gun. Ac-
cordins to the Passaic Journals story,
frye. a conscientious objector, was
bayonetted through the heart by pri-
Vate soldier, who had been detailed to
guard him. Senator Frelinghuysen OF
New Jersey told the Senate he had in
vestiga Ted the statement and found that
che soldier who bayonetted Frye was
twice tried by court-martia and ac-
Quilted.
"Of course" commented Senator Wat
son. "the life of private soldier in
France is nothing here in comparison
with the millions of Henry Ford, who
did not send his son to fight, or John
D. Rockefeller, who did not send his
son to fight"
Senator Watson took advantage OF
the occasion to pay his respects again
TO Senator Wadsworth IN. W, chair.
~ ha NTilftar1y No i,-e-
Photograph as Evidence.
Referring to the photograph of the
callows at Gievres. which he exhibited
during Tuesdays debate, Senator Wat
son said:
THAT picture was photographed by a
Georgia soldier who is now fastening
TO Washington" He added that ht
would appoint the soldier as one of his
secretaries 80 that he can stand by my
side here in the Senate and back up my
statements"
Senator Watson exhibited two illustra.
tions from the Passaic Daily Herald, one
Of an American soldier being prepared
for execution and the other of man
actually dying on the gallows. Senator
Edge Of New Jersey stated that one oi
the men was a negro who killed a
Frenchman when the latter interveneo
in an attack by the negro upon a child.
and the other that Of another soldier
who criminally assaulted a seven-year.
old French girl, who afterward died.
Senator Watson further put into the
Record letter from Thomas F. Gowrar
OF 61 Columbia street, Albany former
regimentai sergeant major in the In.
spector Generals department. Rainbow
Division. Gowran said he had been on
duty with the Judge Advocate and while
he did not know OF hangings without
trial did know of many things that were
nothing short of tragedies"
"Wc had Captain Harding from
Ohio" ne said, who was president OF
many courts martial. His slogan was
Give 'em twenty years."
Gowran s~:d that search OF the
records would show that almost withou,
exception Harding had sentenced men
for twenty years at hard labor.
"rf you were deserter or stole a
bunch of grapes. II was all the same to
\ Harding" Gowran added. Twenty
years was both maximum and mini.
num-"
Secretary of War Weeks refused to-
day to be disturbed by the reiteration OF
the charges made by Senator Watson OF
Georgia concerning alleged unauthorized
executions of soldiers during the war
"1r Senator Watson says he has
received information supporting his
charges, he has been fooled. that Is all.
ssvcretary Weeks smiled at the statemen,
accredited TO the Senator that soldiers
had told him they had seen scaffolds
".rhr- soes noy prove anything. There
were men executed for offenses for which
thpy should have been executod