Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-17
WITNESS FOUND ROPE !.
ON NECK OF BODIES
Found Moose and Black Cap
Intact. He Tells Senate In
vestigation Committee.

BY, Associated pfess 10 Every Evening.
Washington. Jan. 1T.--Former Ser
Vice MEN. detailed Tor duty with the
American Graves Registration SER
vice In France. denied before a Senate
investigation committee today that the
bodies OF soldiers legally put to death
In France were buried with stub OF
rope around the neck. and the black
cap which had been placed on them on
the gailows.
George A. RMuford, OF Washington,
and John X Flynn. OF Canbridge.
Mass, both testified they had heard
OF nothing TO substantAte such
charges. Flynn declared that Rufus
n. Hubbard. of New York, who had
testified that he saw bodies with rope
and cap intact was "troublemaker"
who had to be transferred on that
account.
The committee went into hanging
methods as part OF its general In
vestigation of charges laid before the
Senate by Senator Watson. Democrat,
Georgia. that soldiers were hanged
without trial In France.
Flynn insisted that II the service
WAS unable TO identify a body for
shipment home it was reinterred.
Taking up the case OF BENJAMIN
king,'of Wilmington, n. c.. reported
by the War department as killed In
action. and claimed by former wit
ness to have been wnched, the com
mittee called Vainey f. Wells, of Will
mington, who said King was a mem
Der OF his platoon.
II saw King just before we Jumped
of In battle. and 1 never saw him
again" said Eells. q am satisfied
he was killed i'm action. King was
pne OF the best soldiers I'm the outfit.
and there never was complaint
against him"
How was 1t reported TO you that
King was killed?" Senator overman.
Democrat, North Carolina, asked.
Il have no direct proof" he said.
but II is my honest opinion he was
killed. A sergeant who was nearby
told me King was blown up with a
shell. l know he went into the battle
and never came out. Like many
Others, he was reported missing when
the battle ended"
Disagreeing with witnesses who pre-
ceded him. Richard c. sullivan of
Somerville, Mass. an assistant en-
balmer With the Graves Registration
Service, declared he saw two bodies
taken up with rope and black cap in
tact
Every body I helped prepare for
shipment home was positively identi-
ned" said Sullivan.
Was there any evidence that the
heart and brain were removed from
the bodies of the men hanged?" asked
Senator Watson.
did not notice" -
Were the men buried in spearate
part of the cemetery?"
They We're not
If the skulls had been opened 70
remove the brain would YOU have
roticed it?" asked Chairman Brande-
gee.
Undoubtedly"
z Edwin p. Lamb of Hartford, Conn,
a. lieutenant colonel. with The expe-
ftionary forces, was called.
Trance?"
Yes, two at Bazailles. Both were
court martialled." he said.
Lamb gave the committee the names
ct both men who made rambling.
statements, which We're taken down."
he said. The condemned men were
given opiates before the hanging to
compose their nerves the witness de-
clared.
Did the men claim they had not
BEEN tried?'
mo, sir.r
Neither proved his innocence?" =
NO"
I'm the case OF the second man
hanged, ! think the body was placed
quickly in a coffin with the rope and
cap still OMIT" Lamb added.
Get beftpr i,h Tell ,.-l,,t 80,