Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

THE POLITICAL SITUATION. 63

the chief of the political department of the German Military Government in Belgium. He waited ten ~ days without receiving an answer, and then wrote again. On 12th September he was in- ¢, |, formed that Miss Cavell by her own con- pz. 12. fession had admitted the offence with which she was charged, that her defence was already in the hands of a Belgian advocate, and that as a matter of principle no interview could be permitted with accused persons. Upon this M. de Leval, the legal adviser to the American Legation, took action. With admirable assiduity he endeavoured to get in touch with Miss Cavell and her so-called advocates, but found endless difficulties in the way. It was not till 4th October that he was informed Oct that the trial was fixed for the following et. 4. Thursday, 7th October. On that date—nine weeks after the arrest and without the production to the defence of any documents of the prosecution—the trial of the thirty-five pris- 27 oners began. Miss Cavell by frankly admitting the charge had given the prosecution evidence which could not have been otherwise obtained. Under the German Military Code, paragraphs 58, go, and 160, the offence was treason and punishable by death, and the penalty was applicable to for- Oct. 8 eigners as well as to German citizens. The Bla: Court rose next day, and judgment was reserved. During the week-end M. de Leval tried in vain to find out what was happening. On Monday Mr. Hugh Gibson, the young Secretary of Oct the American Legation, spent the whole Elon Y: day interrogating the German authorities, and as late as 6.20 p.m. he was officially informed that the