FIGHTING FOR LIFE.
Between the trial and the sentence some sinister influence intervened.
It is a secret of the Germans what that influence was. But we cannot
follow the incidents of the last day of Edith Cavell’s life without
becoming aware that a design had been conceived in some brain to hurry
on the last penalty before there was time for a reprieve.
Mr. de Leval had heard privately on the evening before (Sunday, October
10th) that the trial was over, and that the death sentence had been
demanded. The trial had ended on Friday, but Mr. Kirschen, the lawyer,
did not report to Mr. de Leval as he had promised. Neither on Saturday
nor Sunday could Mr. Kirschen be found, and he disappears altogether
from view after the trial. After fruitless inquiries on Sunday night,
Mr. de Leval went to see Baron de Lancken, the German Political
Minister. Late at night he succeeded in finding a subordinate, Mr.
Conrad, but could obtain no information.
On the Monday morning Mr. de Leval again saw Conrad, who assured him
that judgment would not be passed for a day or two, and that the
American Legation would be informed as soon as this took place. No word
came from Conrad all day, and none from Kirschen. The lawyer was “out
till afternoon” Mr. de Leval was told when he called at the house.
On this crucial day Mr. Brand Whitlock, the American Minister, was
ill in bed. But he was working hard to save Miss Cavell’s life. With
Mr. Hugh Gibson, Secretary of the Embassy, he prepared a letter to
Baron Von der Lancken pointing out that Miss Cavell had spent her life
in alleviating the sufferings of others, had bestowed her care as
freely on the German soldiers as on others. “Her career as a servant
of humanity,” he wrote, “is such as to inspire every pity, to call for
every pardon.” And with his own hand the Minister wrote this touching
appeal:--
_My dear Baron,--I am too ill to present my request to you in person,
but I appeal to your generosity of heart to support it and save this
unfortunate woman from death. Have pity on her!_
Throughout the day the Legation made repeated inquiries of the German
authorities to know if sentence had been passed. The last was at twenty
minutes past six. Mr. Conrad then stated that sentence had not been
pronounced, and renewed his promise to let the Legation know as soon as
there was anything to tell.
At five o’clock that same afternoon the death sentence had been passed
in secret. The execution was fixed for the same night.
Three hours later the American Legation learned privately of the
deception. Mr. Gibson found the Spanish Ambassador, the Marquis de
Villalobar, and went with him to Baron Von der Lancken’s house. The
Baron was “out” as the advocate had been in the morning. Neither was
any member of his staff at home. An urgent message was sent after the
Baron. He returned with two of his staff at a little after ten. The
execution was to take place at two next morning.
Lancken at first refused to believe that the death sentence had been
passed. Even if it had the execution would not be that night, and
“nothing could be done until next morning.” But the two diplomatists
refused to be put off. They compelled the Baron to make inquiries, and
when he was obliged reluctantly to admit the truth, they urged him to
appeal to the Military Governor, Von Bissing.
At eleven o’clock Von der Lancken came back from seeing Von Bissing.
He brought a refusal. The Governor-General had acted “after mature
deliberation” and refused to listen to any plea of clemency. For an
hour longer the two devoted Ministers pleaded for the woman’s life.
It was in vain. There was no appeal. “Even the Emperor could not
intervene.” Edith Cavell was doomed. At midnight her friends departed
in despair.