A MURDERED ENGLISHMAN

CIVILIAN SHOT BY OFFICER

ASSASSIN PROMOTED

In the early stages of the war the cable messages gave a story of ah English civilian who, fleeing from Germany just before England declared war wns dragged from ;v train by n Gorman officer and shot. In the interim the

British Government, acting through the American Embassy, has been enquiring into the matter, and the following statement has now been issued by the Foreign Office through the Press Bureau. It Avill be noticed that the murder took place on August ?>, the clay bcfi.re Avar was declared. The. officer who committed the crime has since been promoted.

Tb.6 Statement

On November 2(> information reached the Foreign Office that Mr. Henry Hadley, a British subject had been shot by a Gorman officer in the train on his way to England from Berlin on August 3 last.

The United States Ambassador in London was requested to obtain,- if possible, authentic information as to the circumstances in which Mr Hadley met his death, and his Excellency has now communicated to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the following translation of a statement on the subject furnished by the German Government to the Uited StatesEmbassyatßerlin: —

"The British subject, teacher of languages, Henry Hadiey, behaved most suspiciously in every respect during his trip in the corridor train from Berlin leaving at 1.25 p.m. to Cologne on August 3, 1914, in company of his housekeeper, Mrs Pratley.

"In the first place, he gave the conductor to understand, by shrugging his shoulders when he was asked how far he was travelling when the train was leaving Berlin, that he could not speak German, while the conductor heard him speaking German several times. Further, he talked with his companion several times in foreign languages.

Dining-Car Scene,

"While in the dining-car Hadley had acted in a conspicuous and impolite manner, according to the conductor's statement on oath ironical remarks and gestures regarding passing officers.

"The conductor Arew the attention of First Lieutenant Nicolay who was *n the same train, to the stranger, whereupon First Lieutenant Nicolay watched Hadley from the corridor. As the train approached Gelsenkirchen Had ley came to the conductor, who was standing with First Lieutenant Nicolay, and asked him whether this station was Cologne.

"First Lieutenant Nicolay asked Had loy where he intended to -travel to Hadley replied: "Weil, I think to Paris," which caused First Lieutenant Nicolay to remark that it was remarkable that he (Hadley) did not know where he desired to travel. Hadley, who was listening, overheard this, and began :> conversation with the conductor First Lieutenant Nicolay forbade the conductor to answer, and the conductor informed the stranger- to this effect.

"Harley told the conductor in Gorman that the officer had no right to command him (the conductor)., whereupon the conductor answered that under these circumstances the officer was his superior. First Lieutenant Nicolay now blocked Hadley 's way by stretching out his arms, and told him in English that ho was not to leave the train, letting him know at the same time that lie was a Prussian officer, but as Hadley assumed an aggressive attitude First

Lieutenant Nicolay called 'Hands up!' several times in German and English.

"Hands Up!"

"Hadley paid no attention, but raised his stick, so that First Lieutenant Nicolay was led to expect an actual attack, and he called again, "Hands up, or I shall shoot." He thereupon fumbled with his hands under his waist coat, saying that he was a British subject. As First Lieutenant Nicolay believed that the stranger intended to bring out a weapon and use it against him, he fired at him in order to be first.

"Htidley was taken to the door and on the platform by the people who were pr sent, resisting with all his might. At the station First Lieutenant Nieolny handed over Hadley and his companion to two civil police officials. Hadley, who was brought into a hospital and placed under doctor's care, died on August 5, .1914, at 3.15 a.m., in consequence of the wound caused by the bullet.

"Court martial proceedings were instituted against Captain Nicolay, as he is, for killing Hadley, which proceeding were discontinued on the investigation of the case."

His Majesty's Government has requested the United States Ambassador at Berlin, through the Unitel States Ambassador in London, to inform the German Government that they must enter the strongest possible protest against the action of Captain Nieolay, who, whatever provocation he may have fancied lie had received, bringing about the deatli of Mr. Hadley, committed an act which can only be described as a murder, and that his Majesty's Government does not consider that justice has been done in the matter seeing that the proceedings against Captain Nicolay for causing the death of a British subject have been quashed.