Death at Papago Park Pow Camp : A Tragic Murder and America's Last Mass Execution (9781439660867) by Eppinga Jane

Author:Eppinga, Jane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inscribe Digital
Published: 2017-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 4

CONFESSIONS AND

COURT-MARTIAL

Murza was recalled again, and Church asked if the men were wearing gloves. Murza said they were and that he was prepared to swear to it. Church then insisted that Murza tell the whole story again for the record. The second time around, Murza implicated Helmut Fischer along with Wizuy, Mandelkow, Nieswand, Ludwig and Polowzyk. Church went over the statements and forced Murza to admit that he had previously lied. At eleven thirty that evening, he was returned to his cell and collapsed on his cot. Church now had a confession and implication of other prisoners.

After Murza’s confession, the board reconvened and proceeded to pressure the others for confessions. Stengel admitted that he had participated in beating and hanging Drechsler and described the crime in great detail. He only knew Wizuy by name and could not identify the others. After he joined the execution squad, they went to Drechsler’s compound, where he took Drechsler’s legs while the others grabbed his arms from each side. Drechsler broke free and attacked one of his assailants. The POW who had been sleeping on the bunk next to Drechsler moved so as not to involve himself in the fight. Stengel described the fight as rough and made a moving justification, stating that he had committed an act of war, not murder, because Drechsler had been a traitor. Some of Stengel’s family lost their lives during the war, including a female cousin who was killed in a bombing attack. He thought that if he were to be placed before a court-martial he would stand before soldiers who would understand his course of action. “I have made this statement because during the entire time in my room the picture was in front of my eyes of how Drechsler was hanging there.”

When Stengel’s oral confession was complete, Church directed that he be put in an isolated cell and provided with pen and paper so that he could record his confession in his own handwriting. This procedure was followed with all seven prisoners. Zabel composed and dictated the addenda to each confession stating that the confession was voluntary without any offer of reward, threats, promises or duress.38

Church called in Siegfried Elser, who broke down when he sensed that the world was closing in on him. He was reminded that he was under oath and questioned about his activities on March 12, 1944. He stated that Rudolf Weimer entered Drechsler’s barracks with another man but that Drechsler was already asleep.

Elser said, “Thereupon I suggested that the matter be postponed until the next day and I retired from the group.”

The group milling around Drechsler’s barracks grew to about forty, and they were discussing removing Drechsler by force. Elser confirmed that the testimony that he had given at Camp Papago Park on April 22, when he said that he knew nothing about the murder, was a lie. At some point, Elser decided to participate in killing Drechsler because he had gotten a pair of gloves. Finally, a very nervous

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