A DOUBLE TRAITOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 125, 20 October 1914, Page 6

A DOUBLE TRAITOR.

llLl) LiiOS.S Aal- Oi/VKR. DRAMATIC lXclDb.si AT USTKND. London, August 27. iJr M. 11. DoiWflue, -ne special correspondent ot i.iie Chronicle, m a message dcsci'.b.mg ... moor .raid by viernianu on Oslcnu, lehs a dramatic story of one of the ii.mi eaplit ed. Among tne lirst ol u.e unitoi.iiied sol- ' diers coming fiom elie uiec.ved car was a Lull man of s.x He., uicssed in service grty uniform auu wearing long Uhlan boo .a. As lie ran uu Hung away a belt ion ain.ng a .u.msv'r 'pistol and cartiidgi-s, and Jue w.t„ seen lo make frairtic eiloius lo iv4U a Itid Cross badge wu.cn lie was ~i.ar:ng oil lus left arm. 'iiie mg' nc brought to earth by a shot in his nglit shoulder. He was proiupUy cap..;i;.u .aid p..i,-ed in an automobile, which tooic him at fuli speed i-o Csit-iid. Oil in. ...i v u'iii.ac. ./ue of hits captors re. ognised hull on ex- .niployee of the Usu-nJ railway s ;uioii. He was suspected oi Geriucui sympathies as he was underslood to be ot tii-nnan nationality, biu lie had always given vent to vioient d.au/m-,., ae.inst ihe Prussians and had dec.ared thai i.e was an ardent friend of h..s adopted country. When the war came tne railway employee suddenly disappeared. 1 was talking to iiie General at ~he (hue Xlarit nie when the automobile with the prisciier was hroiiglit in.' lie was immediately recognised oy the populace who crowded round the car. Execrations were hurled upon his head, and had he not been protected 'by armed guards, >his life would have been taken.

The a flair was explained to the General Commanding, who, with two members of his stall', entered a room leading out of the station restaurant Mild set at a table. At a signal from the General I'he prisoner was led in and placed face lo face with the Ostend (.'<vni.;i:rindanl. The cap ive, in very »ood French, offered some explanation a!s to his having been suddenly delegated to look after wounded, which he said accounted for his wcariiw the Red Cross bad;:e while earning arms. The proceedings of th : s 'hasi ily-conveneil court-martial lasted b.U'c!.j five riiiir.ties. The ',,hree ol'liccrs. stern-faced and Isilnit, listened ial eutly to the recital of the charge. "Have von anvtliing to sav?"' asked the Preside]!',. The I'hlan admitted having been taken with arms and a lied t'rons badge on his arm, but denied having used the weapon to shoot Belgian eontibaUn is. An examination of the weapon, however, showed that it lud b<en recently fired. There wais a hurried whispered eonversat'on between til' members of the cimrl-martial; the two junior member,.; nodded their heads in absent. iSlowly and deliberately lilie j Geneial spoke: "You have douhl.v | merited death because of \our conduct, j You are utterly unworthy of mercy, thcroforo J can show you none. You must die. and' the senlenee will be car-

the afl'air was explained to the General Commanding, who, with two mem- | bers of his stall', entered a room leading out of the station restaurant and set at a table. At a signal from the Gen- I oral i'he prisoner was led in and placed face lo face with the Ostend Cmn;i:;!nilaut. The cap ive, in very good French, offered some explanation a!s to his having been, suddenly delegated to look after wounded, which he said accounted for his wcarim'' the Red Cross badge while carrying arms. The proceedings of th : s 'hastily-convened court-martial lasted b.U'c!.j live miir.iies. The jhree officers, stern-faced and Isihnl, listened intently to the recital of the charge. "Have vou anvtliing to sav?"' asked the Prosidcn',. The Uhlan admitted having been taken with arms and a lied t'rons badge on his arm, but denied having used the weapon to shoot Belgian eoniihatan is. An examination of the weapon, .however, showed that it lud bien recently fired. There wais a hurried whispered eonversat'on between tin members of the cimrl-martial; the two junior member* nodded their heads in !i>-soiit. iSlowly and deliberately ;ihe (leueial spoke: "You have doubly merited death became of \our conduct. You an l tillerly unworthy of mercy, thereforo J enn sliow you none. You must die. mill 1 thp sen! once will ha carried out immediaudy." Tlii- ii-cciHcd unan seemed to reel, but ■by a Isii.ncrluniKMi lie pullfd 'himself tocher uml tried to sneak, but the words stuck m lii s throat.' lie suluUM witli his left hand, and was led awav which was inaudilde. Fiflccn minutes kter he had (jea-cd to live.