, 1921-12-20
[TY Will Be SUBMITTED TO VOTE OF PEOPLE
Is Unable to Tell
Probers Whether
Court-martiaIs in
Cases We're Held

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.
George II. Taylor of PhiIa-
delphia, who served overseas,
told = senate COMMITTEES TODAY
that he saw with his own eyes
IL American soldiers hanged
April to June 1918. but was unable to
say whether any of them had been
convicted by courtmartfal.
Ono OF the soldiers hanged. no dc.
clare. was tried for assault on a
French girl courtmartiai at which
one American officer was present.
Taykr gave the nams OF the soldier
and said he was n sergeant from De
troit. Mich. but the COMMITTEES de
cided TO omit h name from the rec
ords.
Robert A Harrison OF Wilmington.
N C. testified that in 1917, he wit
messed the iynching in France of a
soldier. h victim was a Mexican
from E Paso or Eagle Pass. Texas.
who was charged with a crime against
a woman and not tried.
81 was told that III man had to be
hanged to save some officer from
being csshiered," Harrison declared.
Through a pair of field glasses,
Harrison nid he saw the lynchinE in
which 40 men took part.
ut was a nice little neckties party
he said. IT saw the body later with n
rope around tho reck."
Taylor. the first witness. also de.
clared he saw two executions at Camp
Wilson. The first was on April i.
1919. he said and The entire com.
mand was ordered to the gallows TO
witness Il.
They had a double line of soldier
at the gsllows." he said. .and Maj
Ross was in command. The man
TO the scafforld and prayed and then
they hanged him."
WAS the man hanged tried by
courtmartiai7"' Chairman Brandegce
asked.
Taylor said the second hanging was
similar to the first.
"HARDBOTLED- SMITH
COMES IN FOR ACCUSAL.
;s.r-son, the wilmington witness.
told of another .~lynching after the
armistice. which he declared was d.
rected by "~hardboiied" Smith.
This wrist OF mine" said Harrison,
lifting his left arm, was broken while
trying to save myself from Hardboiled
Smith and a coupe OF his s~ergeants."
The witness said he saw men taken
to the firing line without gas masks
or guns. as a form Of punishment.
Pressed a. to the cause OF the
iynching. Harrison said the victim had
been ordered by Smith to sweep the
stockyard with a tooth brush ''and
they had q little party when he re-
fused"
were you courtmsrtialed?" sena-
tor Overman, Democrat, North Caro-
lima. asked.
yes. The colonel cursed me and 1
cursed him back and he had me sent
to the firing line after trial. His
name? Colonel Holbrook. II I ever
get him I'll make him remember me.
'They wouldn't give me a gas mask
and my trouble today is due to gas.
the medical record shows"
Questioned by Senator Watson.
Democrat, Georgia. whose charges
that American soldiers were Illegally
executed In France led 10 tho inquiry.
Taylor. the Philadelphia witness. said
the evidence in the courtmartial of the
Detroit sergeant was given in French,
but an interpreter vas in attendance
The crime was rape.
WAS the man allowed counsel"
Senator Brandegee asked.
zone American officer was there
He asked some questions"
After the hanging. Taylor said he
saw the mans heart and brain were
removed. ito see II he was crazy"
"who did THAR"
"a major in the American medical
corps"
Know his name
"No.