The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-12-20
ANGRY WORDS PASSED
BYDEVALERA AND GRZF-
FIFTH OVER THE IREA TY
EX-SOLDIER SAYS
HE SAW TWELVE
A.E.F. MEN HANGED
George H. Taylor Unable to Say
Whether Any Of Them Had Been
Convicted by courtmartial.

i Washington, d. G., Dec. 20. George
n. Taylor Of Philadelphia, who served
as national army man overseas, told
a Senate committee today that he
saw with his own eyes twelve Ameri'
can soldiers hanged around Is-sur- Tile,
France, from April to June, 1912 but
was unable to- say whether any OF
them had been convicted by courtmarT
/ tial.
One Of the soldiers hanged, he de-
/ clared, was tried for assault on a
French girl. by French courtmartial,
at which one American officer was pres
ent. Taylor gave the name of the sol
der and said he was sergeant from
Detroit, Mich, but the committee later
decided to omit the name from its rec
ords.
Robert AL Harrison Of Wilmington,
N. G., testified that in 1917 he wit
messed the lynching in France of sol
dier. The victim was a Mexican from
El Paso or Eagle Pass, Tex, who was
charged with crime against woman
and tried.
II was told that the man had to be
hanged to save some officer from be-
ing cashiered,' Harrison declared.
Through pair of field glasses, Harri-
son said he saw the lynching, in which
thirty men too part.
1T was a nice little neektie party
he said. II saw the body later with a
rope around the neck"
Col Walter Bethel. General Perish
ing's Judge advocate general in France,
recalled to the stand to-day, declared
that in time Of war court martial
death sentences did not require ap
proval of the president.
Questioned by Senator Watson, Col
oneI Bethel said that after war condi-
tions had ended the government direct
ed that all sentences be forwarded to
Washington for review.
Colonel Bethel denied il was his in
ference, as suggested by Senator Wat
son. that executions were continuing.
The statement of William Cowles of
that the picture at
Gievres purporting to be Of gailows
was in realty that OF crane, was pre-
sented.
Colonel Bethel reiterated that Amer
ican soldiers, charged with crimes
against French nationals, were not
tried and could not be tried by French
court martial or civilian courts.
Senator Watson asked for the rec
,rds in the trial of the II Americans
in accordance with military |
aw, and was told that they were ready |
Tor presentation to the committee.
The case of the conscientious OBJ |
ector named Fry, who refused to carry
MS pack and who was killed by order
If the guard, was brought up.
"The man who killed the soldier was
lried and acquitted Colonel Bethel
.estified
1T IS our contention," said Senator
Watson, that Fry was killed by
sergeant who drove bayonet through
ais heart"
Does the record show thatf" asked
Senator Ovefmah, Democrat, North
Carolina.
Il think not" Colonel Bethel re
,lied
Called as the first witness in sup
,ort Of the Watson charges, George
|. Taylor OF Philadelphia declared he
aw two executions. The first was on
April |, 1919, at Camp Wilson, he said. I
md the entire command was ordered I
o the gallows to witness it..
They had double line of soldiers
It the gallows," he said, "and Major
sross was in command The man ]
langed was a negro. A chaplain went
o the scaffold and prayed and then
hey hanged him"
"Was the man hanged, tried BY
ourtmartiall' Chairman Brandegee
sked.
Il don't know"
Was any announcement made to
hat effect Z"
ssNo."
The second execution, week later,
e said, was precisely like the first.
Taylor dad not know If the victim :
( the second hanging had been tried.
sWhat became Of the bodies -
'They were taken to the hospital"
METH0DIsTS MAKE GAIN.