New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-03
Buenz Calm. Shakes
Hands with Other
Convicted Men.
7HOURS TAKEN
TO GET VERDICT
Two Years in Prison and
Fine of $4,000 May
Be Penalty.

DR.. Karl BuenZ, resident dlreCOor
of the Hamburg-American Line; the
company itself, Adolph Hochmeister,
its purchasing agent; Robert Kotter,
It's experimenting engineer, and Jo-
seph Poppinghaus, one of its steam
shin officers, were found guilty last
night of conspiring to defraud the
United States. They were accused
of making false manifests in sending
out supply ships to provision and
coal German war vessels.
The court may fine the prisoners
not more than $4,000 or imprison
them for not more than two years,
or both.
The jury that rendered verdict
of guilty as charged" in both of the
indictments that had been found
against the defendants, deliberated
upon the case for seven hours.
The twelve men went into con-
sultation at 2:50 p. m., Immediately
after Judge Harland B. Howe, in the
Federal Court, charged them, but
were unable to arrive at decision
until $3.50 p. m.
A report that verdict had been
found soon spread throughout the
Federal Building, when Howard
Cans, of counsel for the defence, sent
word to his office in the Woolworth
Building to have DR.. Buenz, who
was reclining there, brought into
court.
Buenz Unmoved by Verdict.
The head of the Hamburg-Ameri-
can Line, accompanied by julius ?.
Never and Emil Lederer, his vice
directors, came into the courtroom at
1906, and two minutes later he
heard from the lips of the foreman
the words: eve find the defendants
guilty as charged in both indict-
ments."
The aged diplomat of the Imperial
German Government sat erect and
received the verdict impassively.
hotter and Hochmeister were pale,
but betrayed no uneasiness. Pop
pinghaus smiled and later remarked
that he did not care, as the verdict
was not the last word.
William Rand, jr., who had summed
vp for the defence, was not in court,
but his Law partner, William Travers
Jerome. attended TO the formslity Of
having the jury polled
The jury marched into the courtroom
with much solemnity. and IL was aD-
parent from the fact that nearly every
man wore his overeoat that decision
had been reached. Early in the even
inz It had been reported that the
twelve men we're evenly divided as TO
conviction and acquittal. but the firm-
ness and precision with which each
man answered Eyes" when asked II he
had voted guilty" left no doubt IN
the minds OF those present that there
had been little quibbling in the jury
room.
Howard Cans asked If the defend
ants could leave the court under their
bail Of $1,000 each, and this was grant
I'd by Judge Howe. the court explain
ing that IL would hold until l0:3o a. m.
to-day. -
Guilty Men Shake Hands.
When the defendants we're told that
they could 10 home DR.. Buenz stood
erect and looked az Kotter, who stood
few feet away from him. Kotter ap-
preached his chief and the latter held
cut his hand. Then Hochmeister came
up and shook the hand Of DR.. Buenr,
and after him came Poppinghaus To
sAeh Of his subordinstes DR.. Buenz
said calmly "Auf wiedersehen."
AZ soon a. the resident director
stepped outside the rail julius 7.
Meyer and Emil Lederer Joined him.
,ad. with the tall German between
them, lef, the building
The jury WAS discharged by Judge
Hove, but he did not thank them. Tbey
Ned ogt past the defendants, who did
hpt look a. them
Hsither Nr. Jerome nor hr. Cans
would make any ,tatement concerning
ths conviction Of their clients.
kpRer y. Wood. the prosecuting NJ
iipFnsy who tried the defendants Tor
we government. said that the yerdict
vas significant in that IL meant that
i.s laws u the United States must be
eessrysd b. citizens Of all the beliigcr,
sn' powers. ~ the laws are violated.
~ rad, "snd the government hnds u
esi the lsNorsaksrs will be prosecuted
The question Of violation OF neu.
bslltz Of the United States was not
,,,>hsidsrsd 81 al BY the jury. Judge
nsFs, IN biz charge, eliminated con
cestlassd on psEs =, column