The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-01-19
Telltale Hangmen's Ropes
Never Left on Bodies
Say Witnesses,
NO BODIES DESECRATED
Witnesses Deny Reports that
Mems Skulls Were Opened
and Brains Removed,
(By Associated Press Leased wire)

Washington Former service men
detailed for duty with the american
Graves Registration Service IN France
denied before Senate investigating
committee today that the bodies of
soldiers legally put to death in France
were buried with a stub of rope around
the neck and the black cap which had
been placed on them on the gallewS.
George A. Bamford of Washington
and John R. Flynn of Cambridge Mass,
testified they had heard of nothing
to substantiate such charges.
Flynn declared that Rufus P. Hub
bard of New York who testified he
saw bodies with rope and cap intact,
was trouble maker" who had TO be
transferred on that account.
The committee went into hanging
methods as part of its general inves-
Legations of charges laid before the
Senate by Senator Watson, Georgia.
that soldiers were hanged without
trial in France. .,s., .--=e 81
Identified All Bodies!
Flynn insisted that if the service
was unable to identify a body for ship
ment home it was re-interred.
Taking up the case of Benjamin King
of Wilmington, n c., reported by the
War Departr as killed in action
and claimed IeA former witnesses
to have be-, tned, the committee
called V. E. " us of Wilmington who
said King was member of his platoon.
81 saw King just before we jumped
off in battle and | never saw him
again." said Wells. 81 am satisfied
he was killed in action. King was one
of the best soldiers in the outfield
and there never was a complaint
against him."
Another Witness Disagrees.
Disagreeing with witnesses who pre-
coded him, Richard C. Sullivan, Somer-
vile, Mass, an assistant embalmer
with the graves registration service
declared he saw two bodies taken up
with rope and black cap intact.
every body 1 helped prepare for
shipment home was positively identi-
fed" said Sullivan. aq
"Was there any evidence that the
heart and brain were removed from the
bodies of men hanged?" asked Sena-
tor Watson.
81 did not notice"
"Were the men buried in a sepsr-
ate part of the cemeteryp
"They were not"
"If the skulls had been opened to
remove the brain would you have no
ticed it?" asked Chairman Brandegee.
Undoubtedly"
Gave Prisoners Opiates.
Edwin E. Lamb of Hartford, Conn,
a lieutenant colonel with the expedi-
tionary forces was called.
did you witness any executions In
France ?"
eyes, two at Baz Alilles. Both were
court martialed," he said. The con-
demneG men were given opiates before
the hanging to compose their nerves.
the witness declared. ~
"What is the probability of men be-
ing hanged without trial?" asked tho
chairman.
"Not the slightest" Lamb replied.
"And you mean to say, that these
men hanged for an almost unmention-
liable crime were buried along with
the honorable dead?" Senator Watson
asked. ''"ty
Yes. They were our men who had
fallen and paid the extreme penalty"
Hubbard Was Trouble Maker.
Rufus Hubbard, who recently, testi-
fled that many bodies were sent home
without proper Identification, was de-
scribed by Major Samuel J. Heidner, as
a civilian employe, who was the worst
trouble maker in the section"
Major Heidner agreed with Hubbard,
however, rope and black cap were
found on the bodies dup up at Baz-
oilles. ..fs$
"The body of only one Of the men
hanged was shipped to the United
States and in both instances, the cap
and rope were removed" saiG the wit
ness. The orders he said were speci-
fic that a body should not be sent
home until its identity had been fully
established.
Little Chance for Mistake.
The care taken by the Graves Regis
tration Service in making sure of thu
Identification of each soldiers body
were described by Captain J. Wynne
of Washington, in charge Of records.
"Of the $4,000 bodies shipped to the
United States, every single one was
identified" said Captain Wynne. "The
records thus far show 2,016 unidentl-
fled dead. The chance of mistakes in
identification was very small"
Captain lynne said he never came
across a body with rope around the
neck.
"Were negroes buried alongside Of
white men? ?" asked Senator Watson.
eyes sir - they were soldiers"