The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-12-21
WITH EsS CLAIMS
He SAW CORPORAL
SHOOT PRIVATE
+ Alleged Soldier Killings Trans
ferred TO Army Camps
TAYLOR WAS BADLY MIXED
Witness Evidently in Poor
Health Unable to Give Con-
nected Testimony


ated Press l-'Called today as the first
In the second list of witnesses In the
senate committee investigation OF
Senator Watson's charges that Ameri.
can soldiers were hanged without
trial In France. Marion ], Willis OF
athens, Ca, declared that he saw q
CORPORAL root private soldier at
Camp Wheeler. Ca.
Washington, Dec. 2i.--None of the
six witnesses appearing yesterday be.
fore Senate Committee was able TO
give first hand evidence to support
charges by Senator Watson, Democrat
Georgia, that American soldiers had
been hanged without trial In France.
George H. Taylor OF Philadelphia.
thin and frall and under treatment, 40
he himself explained. for epilepsy.
declared that he had seen twelve sol.
diers hanged. or one more than the
number officially listed by the War
Department. Taylor, confused as to
the number OF victims testified at
first that he had seen three and then
under direct questioning increased
his figures 10 four, jumping finally to
twelve. All OF these, he declared
were put to deatl in and around Is
Suy-Tille in the period from April to
JNhe, 1919.
Testimony by Henry l. Scott, %
years old, OF Kenmore, Ohio. that he
had seen two soldiers shot down in
cold blood by Major opley," com.
nander OF the Third Battalion. Hath
Infantry, brought quick and sharp
denial from Mai. Hiram l. Opie OF
Staunton, Va, who was In charge or
t.1at organization, and who anuounc-
ed that he would be glad to 60 before.
the committee. Scott was positive IN
the assertion that he saw both Killed,
Ut different times. that the first
shooting OF courier was Witnessed
by several hundred men and that he
alone saw the second.
In mgk'og sweeping denial OF the
charge, Major Opie. at Staunton, de'
tlaxed In statement that Scott
writes himself down as a skulker ~
bis own testimony" that he belonged
10 another outfit and never should
have been In the fightlng line with
tAe Third Battalion.
q Although he did not know OF MS
1wn knowledge OF any executions
without trials, Robert A. Harrison OF
Wilmington, N. G., tod the commit
lee be had witnessed two lynchihss'
ne conducted by "Hardboiled onillh
Ihe soldier, he said. was put ID
death for refusing 20 sweep stock
hde with toothbrush; that the kl!'-
tng az re remembered, took place on
Terember "a, 1918, at Z 30 o'clock III
the, evening and that be- saw Tue
lyrehing from distance OF 500 yaroS'
The other man lynched. he said was
n Mexican. who was strung from
f,ea Nv officers and men for a crime
against woman. =,
II an effort to clear up wnat ne
regarded as the confusion in Taylor
testimony, Chairman Brandegee sus.
weated that Colonel Bethel question:
The Witness concerning the IL execu'
,ions he claimed to have seen WIN
Nc own ewes. EARLY In the hearing
eColonel Bethel filed with the commit
,ha re official War Department list
~ II executions, with places ana
dates. omitting only the names OUT o, o.
consideration for the families OF tns
dead The department list shoTeu
that two soldiers were hanged aiIe.
TRIAL at ls-Sur-Tille, and II was unc
otficer's contention that Taylor "aS
neAsaut. with other men ana ohiceis
Tsyior's testimony was regarGeu ~ ~
Ia nature OF confirmation o.
Colonel pet'eis conclusions IN l"ls ~
respect as he did know the name s,o o'
ana Nc N the two soldiers legally exc
cuted at that place.