meanwhile, cummings and b. had the bad luck to be transported to la ferté only five days after the local commissioners in charge of reviewing cases for trial and pardon had left – and the commissioners were not expected back until november. when they finally did arrive, they agreed to allow cummings, as an official "suspect", a supervised release in the remote commune of oloron-sainte-marie. b. was ordered to be transferred to a prison in précigné. before cummings was to depart, he was unconditionally released from la ferté due to u.s. diplomatic intervention. he arrived in new york city on january 1, 1918.