The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-01-18
BOASTED PART IN
SOLDIER LYNCHING
Watson's Probe Witness
Says He Saw Bodies
of 2 Dead Blacks
ALL DEAD IDENTIFIED
Otherwise They We're Again
Inferred and Not Sent Back,
Says Grave Detail Man

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-Corrob-
orative evidence to show that the
Nnghing OF two American negro
soldiers took place at Gievres,
France, was given today before the
senatorial committee investigating
charges Of Senator Watson Of Geor-
gla, by John Sebastian Of Jackson
VILE, Fla.
II was o prisoner for having been
absent without leave" said Sebas-
tian. we were being marched TO
work when we saw two negroes lying
face down In a ditch. The guards
bossted that they had hung the ne
groes and told us to watch our step
or we'd get the same dose"
threatened Whites Lives.
Sebastian said that n prisoner
named Murphy went to roll over one
OF the bodies and that the sergeant
told him that If they moved he
would order his men to fire upon
them.
Later in the prison. this sergeant.
named Purrill and other guards.
boosted, Sebastian said, that they
had hung these two prisoners"
4 At a previous hearing before the
y committee, testimony was given that
Z two negroes were lunched at Glevrcs
at the direction of Capt. Joseph
Hahn. now OF Camp Benning. Ga.
A flat denial OF testimony that the
bodies Of American soldiers buried
10 france were not identified before
they were shipped to relatives in
tka IFAEtal Cfatnu una VNaAa hr IAhV
l. Flynn of 256 Prospect street,
Cambridge, Mass.
IF the bodies were not identified
they were reburled." Flynn told the
committee.
Flynn, who was attached to the
American graves registration service
In France, denied the story of Rufus
p. Hubbard. who testified before the
committee that bodies OF American
soldiers were frequently SEN back to
supposed relatives without having
been identified.
Witness Was Trouble Maker.
81 knew Hubbard. he was consid-
cred a trouble maker and it was
generally thought he was not respon-
sible for what he said" said Flynn.
Witnesses denied that men who
had been hung were buried witt
AtHNo VI WV AANNhS VI 80
caps over their heads.
Testimony tending TO establish
that Benjamin King of Wilmington,
N. c., was killed in action In France
instead Of having been lynched at a
stockade neal Paris at the direction
Of "~Hardboiled" Smith. was given by
Varney Il. Wells, Wilmington, y. c.,
formerly a sergeant of Company c,
18th infantry.
81 have no direct proof that King
was killed. Wells said. But he
Jumped off with his squad during a
battle on September 20, 1918. His
No. l and No. 2 men were killed and
/ concluded King was KILLED. too.
"On December 10. 1918, l met
Oscar Sheldon OF Druid. n. c., in
London, and he told me he had seer
King blown to pieces, King was re-
ported missing.
Il saw King just before we
Jumped off in that battle"
Richard Sullivan of Somerville
Mass, related a story similar to thai
told by Hubbard, who SAID that two
negro bodies, unearthed in a ceme'
terry In France, had ropes around
their necks and black caps over thelI
heads, He denied. however, that the
caps we're left on their heads or that
tne bodies were sent back to sup
posed relatives without proper idep'
uication. The ropes and cap were
removed and the bodies were identi'
red by the tags in the collins and or
The crosses" he declared.
Colonel Describes Hanging.
sullivan was an assistant EN-
palmer with the raves registration
service.
Hubbard said the bodies he saw
were In a cemetery at Bazoilles while
sullivan said the two bodies he saw
were taken from a cemetery at Ma
wares.
Col. Edwin Lamb, Hartford
Conn, who directed the hangings o
Two negroes at Bazoilles, described
these h%angings:
The first was July Ia, 1918, ant
the second. January ~, 1919. Tn
nrst mans name was Chambers anC
! me second, Jones.
Were any drugs given these mel
10 compose their nerves." asked
senator Brandegee,
II was suggested to me at tn
second hanging and / said. Yes. ~
hhead,' replied Lamb.
Lamb said that he knew in tn,
case OF the first hanging that tn
pack cap and rope were left on tn,
oody but he was not certain abou