The Washington times., 1921-11-04
EXECUTION
P|(;TURE|S
Of F ERED
AS PROOF
Georgian Assails Baker and
General Staff in Debate on
Army Hangings.

A sensation came in the Senate
today when Senator "Tom" Watson
of Georgia, defending his charge
that many American soldiers were
hanged in France without court
martial, produced letter written
by Johnson McFetridge, of 2340
High street southeast, Anacostia.
Has Photo Of Hangings.
In the letter, McFetridge says he
has photographs of American sol
diers hanging on the gallows, who
were executed about the time Gen.
eral Pershing made his inspection OF
the camps at Is-Sur Tile, France.
The text of the letter follows:
you contend that you have
photo of the gallOws where men
were hanged In France, but IL you
will call on me, will gladly loan
you Two photographs Of the deed
being done at Is-Sur.TiIle, France,
at approximately the date General
Pershing made his inspection of
this camp. Should you he inter
ested in obtaining them, will I've
glad to cooperate with you. sun
day morning would be 4 good time
TO call"
Senator Watson produced several
other letters from other cities in the
country, but, on motion of Senator
Lodge, was not given the privilege
of reading them in open Senate.
Watson Assails Baker.
Former Secretary of War Newton
D. Baker today became the target for
an attack from Senator Watson for
having described the latter's charges
as "preposterous and Incredible"
Referring to the former Secretary
as Little Newt" Watson demanded to
know what Baker had known about
what was going on in France while he
was holding down a swivel chair in
Washington"
Watson pointed to Bakers state
ment that France is not a bowling
wilderness. but a civilized country, and
that IL American soldiers had been exc
cuted without courtmartial in France
II would have been generally known"
and criticized the French for exact
ing payment for even the muddy
trenches in which American boys
fought for them"
THE French charged us for even
the roadbed over which our American
boys marched to the battle 'front.'"
Watson continued; ''for the very
trenches in which they stood knee
deep in water. for the fields they used
to play baseball on"
Poor Little Newt" he added.
What did he know of what was going
on over there? Why he is still 80
small, Is Little Newt that there II
no box small enough to hold him"
Clashes with Senator Edge.
Watson clashed with Senator Edge
RepD of New Jersey, when the latter
charged that the photograph Of
scaftold produced by Watson as one
on which American soldiers had been
executed, was really one on which
two brutes, one OF whom was q
negro, who had attacked a seven
year-old French girl, were hanged for
brutal dastardly crimes"
when the Senator from Georgia
asked for the introduction in the
Record of picture from the Passiac,
n. j., Herald" Edge said, "he did not
ask for the reproduction of the article
that accompanied the picture of the
gallows. and that explained the gal.
lows had been built for the execution
Of two brutes who had been convicted
by Court.martlal OF murder and OF
attacking a girl.
II have obtained from the War De.
partment the records concerning those
executions and the executions Of other
soldiers i'm France. Those records
show the executions that the Senator
from Georgia referred 10 took place
April 4, 1919 and April 25, 1919.
THE first was that of n negro, Hts
victim, a seven.year-old French girl.
died. The negro was tried February
10, 1919.
The second man executed was .
Xhits man who bad bean convicted