The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-12-09

pennies would slap your face"
Watson said he had been insulted
in the manner in which the Officer
looked at him
Washington. Dec. o. Eleven mem
bers Of the American Expedlsionary
Forces were hanged In France after
conviction by military court-mar.
tial, Col. Walter Il. Bethel, Assistant
Judge Advocate General of the Army,
testified today before the Senate
Committee investigating charges by
Senator Watson, Democrat, Georgia,
that American soldiers We're hanged
without trial in France.
Colonel Bethel, who was General
Pershing's chief legal adviser over.
seas, appeared before the committee
after Senator Watson In an open
statement had presented number
of afidayits and letters from former
soldiers to support his charges.
Did you ever see gallows at
Gieyres?9 Colonel Bethel was asked,
Yes, he said "one was erected
there for execution of convicted
soldier
1t was at Gievres, according to in
formation given Senator Watson by
former service men, that soldiers
We're hanged without trial
Il cannot vouch for anything ex'
cept what these men have said 10
me. Senator Watson said as he con
cluded his opening statement. i
cluded his opening statement. Il
assume men would not tell me they
were ready and willing to come here
and testify regardless Of consequence
es unless the facts We're true.
A number of those mentioned by
the Georgia senator were summoned
before tie committee, including a
man from Fort Leavenworth, Kan
Penitentiary, convicted early IN the
war for violation OF the espionage
act, who, Mr.. Watson said, could give
names of important witnesses ana
evidence of his own.
Colonel Bethel informed the com
mittee that the American military
authorities had exclusive lurisdic
tion over the American Army and
the French never attempted to exer
else jurisdiction in criminal cases,
The first of the eleven executed. ne
said. was convicted OF murder aho
rape and the second, a negro soldier
fo- rape on French woman, Sixty
eight years old. .oo,,,
n every case where we recon-
mended the death sentence ne salu
~ read the evidence carefully TO SOC
that no mistake had been made.
The third and fourth executions
the Colonel said, also were Tor rape
both soldiers hanged after triai' DC
ing negroes. ~ a., s,,
AFTER testify,ng that the flrst 81
cases we're for assault, tie "l'neS'
tortlfed that the seventh case wa
that of negro soldier VINO muI
dered French professor as the lat'e
attempted to save q woman lronl
,nob q, rowdies. Case number eign
was the hanging of white soldier 10
attempted assault Of an eignt-year o'
Belgian girl ,,;.
Next was the hanging OF a wnit
soldier for numbering another wnlt
soldier for numbering another whit
aoldier the crime being character
ized by Colonel Bethel as partict
larly atrocious. The last case, N
hanging OF two negro soldiers togett
or was after conviction for assault q
French girl and numbering her fati
or as he attempted to save her' 20
onel Bethel said somo of the COZ
victed men admitted their guilt Q
the scaffold
In all he told the committee sixtl
two death sentences were imposed
General Pershing ordering eleven ex
cuted and disapproylng the sentene
in eleven cases. The other cases, u
: witness said, were reviewed at Was
ington and changed.