Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-20

me the day before the hanging"
Taylor told OF taking the man to a
court martial room at Is Sur-Tille on or
ders from Major Ross of California, on
the Wednesday preceding the hanging
There were some words spoken IN
French by French officers and he was
ordered taken back to cell. The next
day a Frenchman came and spoke TO
me In French" Taylor said.
what does he meanT Blodgett
asked me.
He says you're going TO be hung
tomorrow / told him.
why, I haven't been tried yeti
haven't had a chance for my llfe he re-
piled.
Then the chaplain came. After that
BlodSet told me To write to his mother
saying he had died Of ieumonia.
IL saw the hanging ana then l wrote
to his mother saying he had died or
pneumonia. I got reply from his
mother and have the letter yet"
Under questioning by Senator Watson.
Taylor said all the members Of the court
martial were French except one and that
!, Blodgett had no counsel.
After the hanging Of Blodgett, I saw
n major Of the medical corps cut out his
brains and his heart"
Did you see any other hangings ?"
asked Senator Shields, Democrat, Ten
nessee.
yes, sir; that same afternoon I saw
negro hanged for killing a white mess
sergeant"
How many in all did you see eAe-
cutedf" persisted Shields.
Twelve" Taylor answered.
How many white?"
Two"
when was the last Of these execu-
tionsf"
I'VE left Is-Sur-Tille June %. 1919. The
last we saw was a week before that, but
the gallows was there ready TO hang
more. Three colored fellows were hung
a week before we left"
"Do you know whether any were tried
by court -martial?"
II don't know. One negro was working
with a gang up to an hour and Il half
before he was taken away and hanged"
Colonel Bethel was permitted to ques-
tion Taylor.
you personally saw the hanging OF
these twelve menu he asked.
YES; Ave were hanged at Camp Will
son. small cavalry headquarters at
Is-Sur-T Tile, and seven on the hill back
Of the hospital at Is-Sur- Tile" replied
Taylor.
Senator Watson drew an admission
from Colonel Bethel that a charge Wat
son had made at a previous hearing that
soldier named Fay had been bayoneted
through the heart on orders Of Il superior
officer, was true.
ION examination of the records, find
the soldier, Fay, refused to carry a pack
and on the command of an officer, a non
commissioned officer used the bayonet-
unfortunately more severely than was in
tended" said Bethel.
Robert A. Harrison, Wilmington, n. c.,
said he was a member OF the 7th Field
Artillery, Battery C.
Did you see any hangings?" asked
Senator Brandegee.
mot what you might call hanging
parties. I saw lynching parties"
What was the first 'lynching party p"
SIN December, 1917, was runner
saw a bunch of officers and men under
tree and took out my field glasses. I
saw a man brought out and strung up
over a limb The man was a Mexican
of the Sixteenth Infantry who had en-
listed at FL Paso or Eagle Pass
81 saw the mans body later in the
hospital with the rope around his neck.
ihNuhcu anu lOuuu IL was n case OF
those officers being cashiered out of the
service or getting this man out Of the
way.
1.-THE Mexican I was told, was going
to give some information about these Of
fcers, connecting them up with some
women.
"How many men in the party?" asked
Brandegee.
about thirty five or forty-a good
little necktie party"
Tell US of the next case,". asked
Brandegee.
at was at a prison stockade-at a
little party one night A man who had
squabble with Hard Boiled Smith was
introduced to a rope and a tree--a nice
little twilight party. / saw the hang
ing. His name, l think. was Benny
Keen of Wilmington, N. c. The only
report his mother ever received was that
he was severely wounded in action. Many
people of Wilmington have written to the
War Department, but have got no further
report on it."