Correspondence with the United States Ambassador respecting the execution of Miss Cavell at Brussels.

Date:
1915
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Correspondence with the United States Ambassador respecting the execution of Miss Cavell at Brussels. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    imperative ; and that in view of the circumstances of this case he must decline to accept your plea for clemency or any representation in regard to the matter. : Baron von der Lancken then asked me to take back the note which I had presented to him. To this I demurred, pointing out that it was not a “requéte en grace” but merely a note to him transmitting a communication to the Governor, which was itself to be considered as the “‘requéte en grace.” I pointed out that this was expressly stated in your note to him, and tried to prevail upon him to keep it; he was very insistent, however, and I finally reached the conclusion that inasmuch as he had read it aloud to us, and we knew that he was aware of its contents, there was nothing to be gained by refusing to accept the note and accordingly took it back. Even after Baron von der Lancken’s very positive and definite statement that there was no hope, and that under the circumstances “ even the Emperor himself could not intervene,” we continued to appeal to every sentiment to secure delay, and the Spanish Minister even led Baron von der Lancken aside in order to say very forcibly a number of things which he would have felt hesitancy in saying in the presence of the younger officers and of Mr. de Leval, a Belgian subject. His Excellency talked very earnestly with Baron von der Lancken for about a quarter of an hour.’ During this time Mr. de Leval and I presented to the younger officers every argument we could think of. J reminded them of our untiring efforts on behalf of German subjects at the outbreak of war and during the siege of Antwerp. I pointed out that, while our services had been rendered gladly and without any thought of future favours, they should certainly entitle you to some consideration for the only request of this sort you had made since the beginning of the war. Unfortunately, our efforts were unavailing. We persevered until it was only too clear that there was no returned to the Legation to report to you. HUGH GIBSON. Mon cher Baron, JE suis trop malade pour vous présenter ma requéte moi-méme, mais je fais appel a votre générosité de coeur pour l’appuyer et sauver de la mort cette malheureuse. Ayez pitié delle ! Votre bien dévoué, BRAND WHITLOCK. (Translation. ) My dear Baron, I AM too ill to present my request to you in person, but I appeal to the gene- rosity of your heart to support it and save this unfortunate woman from death. Have pity on her! Yours sincerely, BRAND WHITLOCK. Bruzelles, Excellence, le 11 octobre, 1915. JE viens d’apprendre que Miss Cavell, sujette anglaise, et par conséquent sous la protection de ma Légation, a été condamnée & mort ce matin par le conseil de guerre. Sans examiner les causes qui ont motivé une condamnation aussi sévére, et qui, si les renseignements qu’on me donne sont exacts, est plus sévére dans le cas actuel [1161] (Translation. ) Brussels, Your Excellency, October 11, 1915. I HAVE just heard that Miss Cavell, a British subject, and consequently under the protection of my Legation, was this morning condemned to death by court- martial. If my information is correct, the sentence in the present case is more severe than all the others that have been passed in similar cases which have been tried by the same B 5
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