Evening star., 1949-09-01
Saw 'Shonghoied Sailor Beaten at Camp
of Foreign Legion, Veteran Tells Trial
Ryon Court-MortioI
Opens at Anocostio
Naval Station

A youthful veteran Of the
French Foreign Legion appeared
as a surprise witness today at the
opening session Of the general
court martial of Patrick James
Ryan, accused Navy deserter, to
testify he had seen Ryan beaten
with q strap at 4 legion camp in
North Africa when he refused to
sign enlistment papers.
Ryan was charged with deser-
tion after he appeared in Canton,
China. last February, half-starved
and covered with jungle sores, to
relate a stranger-than-fiction tale
of having been sanghaied into
the French Foreign Legion and
sent to fight in Indo- China.
He escaped from the legion in
October. 1948, and struggled
through the jungle for five months
before reaching safety in China,
Ryan told authorities.
He told them he had missed his
ship in 4 Mediterranean port,
after a gay party July 2. 1s47.
made his way to France and was
pressed into the legion against
his will by the French.
Navy Veteran.
The surprise witness was Walter
G. Leathe, %, of Maiden. Pa, who
was honorably discharged from
the Navy in 1914. He testified he
went to Paris in January, 1948.
and while on a Cooks tour, visited
fort where a unit of colorfully-
attired legionnaires was stationed.
II was there as a student" Mr..
Leathe testified, "and I asked a
lot of questions about the legion
like was it the happy lucky
outfit they said it was and what
were the chances of promotion.
They told me there was train
leaving for Marseilles in few
days and to 60 there if I wanted
any information"
He rode to Marseilles on troop
train, Mr.. Leathe testified and
followed a column of German re-
cruits to a legion port. There, he
said, his American passport was
taken away and he was told. you
are in the legion now"
Saltonstall Intervened.
Intervention Of Senator Salton-
stall, Republican, of Massachusetts,
whose aid was sought by his
father, enabled him to obtain his
release from the legion after six
months service, Mr.. Leathe re-
ported.
When Comdr. Lloyd A. Straits.
presiding over the flve-man court,
told Mr.. Leathe that Ryan was
charged with deserting his ship in
port at San Reno. Italy, on July
4, 1947. the witness exclaimed
dramatically: g. .t5
IF he is charged with desertion
I just don't understand it. Ican't
understand how a man. who at
the risk of beating, day after day
demanded - insisted that he
didn't belong in the uniform of
the legion and wanted to get back
to the Navy, could be charged
with desertion.
II don't think anyone in this
courtroom appreciates the violence
the legion resorts to. I have seen
people get their eyes popped out
because they wouldn't sign
paper. can't understand the
charge"
Mother Tells Of Letters.
Ryan's mother, Mrs. Sue Pheas-
ant, of Huntingdon, Pa. told the
court she received letter from
her son from Morocco in August,
1947. He wrote that he had been
''shanghaied into the legion" she
testified and appealed to her to
enlist naval aid in getting him
back to his ship.
Mrs., Pheasant said she received
four letters in all from her son
and transmitted all four to the
Navy Department.
Comdr. Howard White, United
States Naval Attache at Tangier,
testified he received word from the
Navy Department in Washington
in December 1947 that Ryan was
being detained in the Legion
against his will. He was instruct
ed to obtain the sailors release
under an agreement negotiated by
Gen. Eisenhower during the war,
under which the French govern
ment waived all jurisdiction over
United States military personnel.
French authorities in North