SPY TO DIE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 October 1924, Page 5

SPY TO DIE

NURSE CAYELL’S BETRAYER. SENTENCED TO DEATH. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION-COPYRIGHT. BRUSSELS, Oct. 10. A court-martial sentenced to death Henri Descornel, the Belgian ex-soldier, deserter and spy, who caused the arrest of Miss Edith Cavell. Descornel is a fugitive, and is believed to be in Holland. - A special correspondent of the Auc.kStar writes: A curious story about Nurse Cavell’s condemnation has just been given to the world on the authority of an evening paper, which again cites it as from an “absolutely unimpeachable German ’ ’ According to this account her execution was ordered by. a General Sauberzweigg, to whom all sentences of courts martial in Brussels had to be submitted. Nurse Cavell, it will be recalled, was tried by court martial along with a number of others, and all of them were, by the court, condemned to death. On reviewing these sentences, Gene'ral Sauberzweigg ordered her alone to be shot at dawn next day, for he had been specially angry with her because the military authorities had allowed her to carry on her work for the wounded and had even been given special facilities for it. An officer, Baron von der Lancken, inferior in rank to General Sauberzweigg, protested against his decision, and urged that before carrying out the decision the Kaiser should be informed, the baron pointing out. and justly that such an execution would horrify the civilised world. The General, was obstinate, and he became so angry that he ordered von Lansken out of the room. In spite of this usage from his superior officer, the baron telephoned to Cliarleville, then the German headquarters, informing the officers on duty of the facts of the case and urging them to make them known at once to the Kaiser so that he might intervene. But the Kaiser had gone to bed. None of the officers dared wake him, and by next morning when the Kaiser avrs told the execution liad taken place. It is said that the Kaiser was so Avrotli that he at once ordered the reprieve of the other woman condemned to death at the same time. No other Avoman suffered' the extreme penalty since 'then.

This account- adds that General Saubcrzweigg’s conduct Avas more inexcusable since Nurse Cavell ’& condemnation Avas illegal under the German military code itself. Tlie offence for Avhicli she was condemned Avas not espionage.