The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-03
Jury Reaches Verdict on
Both Indictments After
Seven Hour Session.
TWO YEARS IN PRISON
AND FINE Is PENALTY
DR.. Buenz Displays Emotion
as Decision Is Announced
defence to Fight On.

verdict OF guilty as charged on
ho,b indictments" was pronounced
shortly after 10 o'clock last night In
,,e United States District Court By the
Federal jury which since week ago
L., Monday had heen hearing the test'-
m,ny Of the Governments charges
AGAINST the Hamburg-Amerkan Line it.
self, Dr. Kari Buenz, managing director,
and three other Hamburg g-American off'-
,ils, that they had conspired to defraud
the tinted States By falsely obtaining
clearance papers FOR fleet of supply
ships sent out to coal and provision
German warships at sea.
The Jury reached a decision seven
hours after retiring. an hour OF which
had been spent dining at restaurant
lear the Federal Building. Besides DR..
Buenz the other men convicted
lawyers and lsymen who had followed
t1,'tria agreed last night that the con-
,icuon was the most important Of its
was begun in Europe-were the engineer
Ing superintendent Of the Hamburg
American Line. George koetter: Adolf
Hachmeister. purchasing agent. and Jo'
reph roeppinhaus. a Hamburg American
supercargo.
Dr Buenz, now ,2 years old. one time
German Minister to Mexico and eminent
throughout the active part OF his lie
m the Foreign Office OF the German Gov
eminent, and the others convicted. may
under the law be sentenced to not more
taan two years in a Federal prison and
nned not more than $4,000.
Neutrality Not a. Isaac.
The Governments accusation against
them was not, as Judge Howe pointed
uut IN HE charge to the jury yesterday y
afternoon. one having anything to do
with violation Of neutrality hws. The
attendants were convicted because they
ald conspired TO obtain through mani
i..ts falsely sworn to. destinations
flscly sworn to and by other irregular
means clearance papers for their Meet ol
- least twelve supply ships. Whether
0, not the fleet mad coaled and pro-
,lstpued German war craft did not enteI
M, "a, matter. the sole contention OF
tn. Government was that the defendants
al subjects of the Kaiser. had over
ridden our laws" by deceiving American
collectors of the port with criminal in.
tent and thus had injured the United
states by obtaining false clearance
papers, Oh a par with fraudulent pass
ports.
Judg. Huw-'s charge, which he read
1, IN, i,,rv iust before the twelve retired
a a.,1 n',inrk y N vas accented by
l.. l.f.uc,. a. we'll u,s IN. prosecution
,,.d.I .,f In,narti.Iity In view q,
,.r.,"a,.,.d hv Assjstan,
lN,,.I So s,torn.v Wood however
= vas ,h. oninion of LAWYERS and Law.
,r.n .r,cr nearing the charge thut I,
,..r,lu IN. ditScul, under the law for q
.tr,. ia L-lrg in any yerdic, except one
--,H,
Immediately upon the return of the
,--Jic, William Trave-s Jerome and
Howard CANS arose To make various mo-
tons for tho defence. I.rcause Of the
atei.ss of the hour. however, Judge
Hove adop,ed the suggestlon Of Mr.
Wool that such motions be made to- day.
Dr. Burnz and the other defendant,
ther,upon were perrnitted 10 go home
.or the night, their bail of $1,000 each
icing continued md will appear In court
when Judge and jury assemble again
this morning to listen to the motions.
Long Debate In Jury Room.
Nh. t,.,. ,,o, >..,,,, ,,,,,, ,-o,,, .,,,,.,
r. ,,I-,,, ',-i.b ~, go ,h,, ~.
r..red ,1otb.- ,r,ny strstcb q, areunen,
in IN. co,,rt ,,.,'r h.Tor.. an aVr..1.nsn,
~ V'r' i'olh oeioIe ali 'stee'hoi,'
stG o,cloci, ,a., i,si,, ,,.., W.. 'a., ,,,a !,
had b.or Won over T,han r,n,, ,en min.
utes uAss,d hefore tho turors had donned
heir coats and we're ready to ran on the
luor ana DECLARE that a verdict had been
..-ry.d A,
Thrr- Of the defendants. Koetter
Hachmeis,e, and Poeppinhaus. had. uk,
tie LAWYERS, been pacing the corridor,
for hours anxiously Dr. Buenz, a mucf
Ode man aud troubled with rheuma
t.sm, had been resting In the office o.
william Rand chief OF counsel for tn,
#efcucc IN the Woolworth Building
across Broadway. When word cam.
rom tie Jury room that a verdict hat
''eH ,eiched the other defendants toinec
~ Bu"nz In Mr.. Rands office and al
''u came across the street TO the Fed
--al building
lr Buenz's face. always Of high color
NIS EIriisllarlv FnshaJ> IA. oa, %