MISS CAVELL'S MURDER

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 251, 22 October 1915, Page 5

MISS CAVELL'S MURDER

FULLI^mgLARSOFTHE

EFFORTS OF AMERICAN AND SPANISH LEGATIONS.

DEVOTED WOMAN KILLED

(Received ©ct 22 21.25 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. 21

The Foreign Office has issued a 9000 words despatch- from the American Legation at Brussels showing the untiring efforts mad© to save Miss 'oaveil; When she was arrested on August sth Mr Brand Whitlock, the Ambassador, notified the German ■authorities of American concern in the case, and asked for fullest particulars; hut he was never allowed to see Miss Oavell. The Germans even •refused to allow her to consult a lawyer before the trial. Her lawyer was shown none of the prosecution's documents. The Ambassador adds that Miss Ca^ell at the trial without trembling admitted that she had hidden English and French soldiers in her house. She had facilitated the departure of Belgian siibjects, furnishing them with money and guides in order that they could cross the frontier. She even said that she had rewived letters from soldiers in England thanking Tier for her helpv Asked why she di« this she said that she believed that Germans shot soldiers, therefore her duty was to pave their lives. . After the trial the American Legation continually inquired as to the progress of the* case. It was definitely informed the.day before the execution that no sentence had heen given. The Legation, however, heardl pri-; vately at ten in the evening that the nur<?e had l>een sentenced to be shot at two in the morning.

Mr Gibson, secretary of the Legation, Accompanied by tihe Spanish ; Amljassador, hurried to see Baron yon der Lanoken,- representing the German civil administration, to ask for a postponement of the execution. Yon der Lanoken for some time protested^ that there was no truth in the rumor. Finally he said that the military authorities considered' that the infliction of death w>as imperative.

Mr Gibson pointed out that Miss Cavoll had spent her life in assisting others. She had tended Germain soldiers at her hosmtal. He- emphasised the horror of the execution of a woman where there was'no cltaxgo of espionage. He pointed tout the fearful effect of a pumhiary execution of this sort on puhlio opinion in Belgium and -abroad. "■ It might even lead to reprisals.,. The Spanish Minister forcibly supported Mr Gibson, but all their efforts were fruitless. An English clergyman was allowed to see Miss" Cavell in her cell at ten o'clock. He crave her Holy Communion, and found her admirably strong and calm. (She said that she was happy to die- /for her country. The despatch discloses that the failure to prevent the execution was a very severe bU>#' to the American Legation, which pariicularly resents the Germans' failure to notify the Ambassador o£r the sentence. Sir Edward' {Trey; -in thanking Mr TVind Whitlook, says that he is publishing a despatch without delay to forestall -^y uniusj;: criticism^due to the perm.in administration's discreditable and successful efforts to conceal the fact that sentence was passed and carried out - iihmediatelv. He adds: ';The«e efforts,., w^vo doubtless prompted hy a determination to carry out .<t.'<e sentence before an ".npeal to a Higher autlwity. was possible." Lord Lansdownein tin* House of Lords, described the Gavel' execution ats a.:deplornblo incident. Nothing in reeorit months had moved the i>eoi>le ;mbnv than "the manner in-which the poor lady h;id been executed in cold blood. Doubtless she was!.liable to nunishment, but the Germans might have executed a measure of mercy which no civilised country would refuse to a brave and devoted woman, who had given her energies to the mitigation of the suffering of others. The American and Spanish Ministers endeavored, urg to the last?noment to obtain a reprieve.'3 There was nobody in Britain who would not join in theprotest against the . terrible occurrence. '.-..'

■The Pope and King Alfonso secured the postponement of the._cv<y"h'on «;f two French ladies, pending the Kaiser's consideration. ■