El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-28
EASEMENT Tells
Of HIS ACTIONS
Knight on Trial, Charged
With Treason Testifies in
Own Defence.

London. Ems June eS-Dramatic
developments We're expected at today-s
session OF the trial o. SIP Eogcr Case
u.ent for high treason. Chlcf amous
these IS a statement in his own de-
fence which Sir Roger made from che
dock.
Francis 2 Doyle. the Philadelphia
attorney who is actins as solicitor for
Easement informed thc Associated
Press before the openinE 81 the court
that no witnesses would De called Cor
the defence but that the arguments
of counsel would he supplemented by
q statement from the prisoner The
main defence viii rest or thc arr
gument Of counsel for ouas-:nr o. the
Indictment on the ground % lack or
In reference to the decision o. case
ments counsel not 10 cal any wiz
nesses. Mr. Doyle said
"Inasmuch as this trial affects noe
OILY the life Of Sir Roger Easement
but also the aspirations cf tho Irish
nation, IL has been deemed advisable
not To call any witnesses in this turi9
diction-" He added thar NO witnesses
we're available in this country and
that il would have been necessary So
80 10 Germany for them, but that Che
. government would not permit &C.
Alexander Sullivan, chief counsel Tor
Sir Roger Easement argued rta- tfc
Z indictments should be quasheG Cu Che
I ground that no man could be tried COY
treason committed outside The NioE
realms, was followed by an address
: by professor !. IL Morgan. o. counsel
, for the defence, who entered into an
/ argumentative discussion with ttc
The court oyerruIed 8Ir. szuva1's
motion.
Mr.. sullivan said the prisoner de-
| sired TO make a statement This vas
/ postponed until afternoon
Easement Refutes Charges.
! Sir Roger said,
I NY lords and gentlemen Of the Jury.
I desire to say a few words only with
! reference TO some illusions made by the
! prosecution
LAS TO my pension and the honor
Of knighthoOd conferred upon me 7
3 shall say only one word The pension
had earned by service rendered and Il
was assigned by law. The knighthood
ii was not in my power TO refuse
Alleges -Four Instantaneous.
/ But there are in especial four mis-
! statements given in the evidence
| against me, which must refute.
First. / never at any time advised
( Irishmen to fight with the Turks
I against the Russians or TO fight with
the Germans on the western front
Second, I never asked an Irishman
to fight for Germany 1 have always
claimed that he has no right TO fight
/ for any land but Ireland
Denies Having Men Starved
Third, the horrible insinuations that
I got my own peoples ratiOns reduced
/ 10 the starvation point so they would
[ join the Irish brigade is an abomina bic
falsehOod- The ratiOns were necessarily
i reduced throughout Germany, owing to
{ the blockade. The other suggestion
that men were sent 10 punishment
/ camps at my instance for not joining
/ the Irish brigade, is devoid Of all fOun-
dalton.
DisIikes Mention of Foreign Gold.
Fourth there is a widespread impu-
tatiOn Of German gold / owe IL TO
those in Ireland who are assailed with
me on this very ground TO nail the lie
once and for all II was published by
newspapers IN America, think. orig
mating in this country and I cabled TO
America instructing my American law
yer. Mr.. Doyle, TO proceed against
those papers for libel From the mo-
ment that 1 landed on the continent
until 1 came home again to Ireland
never asked or accepted a single /
penny Of foreign money, either for my
self or for any Irish cause or for any
purpose Whatsoever
Money was offered TO me in Ger /
many more than once, and offered lib !
orally and Internationally, but 1 re- 4
Jected every suggestion Of the kind and /
II left Germany poorer man than /
when I entered it Money I coula al /
ways obtain from my own government, I
and am not ashamed here to acknowl- ]
edge the debt Of gratitude 1 owe to \
many an irish friend and sympathlZer
who did freely and gladly help me 1
when 1 was on the continent.
The attorney general of England
thought it consistent with the tradi-
lions OF which he IS the public repre-
sentative TO make a thinly yelled al
fusion in his opening address to the
rising in Ireland Of which ne brought Z
forward no evidence in this case from I
first 10 last and which therefore. YOU /
and /, gentlemen, as laymen, would /
have supposed that he would scrupu- I
lously refrain from mentioning.
Rebellion Not Made In Germany.
Since the rising has been mentioned.
however, must say categorically that
the rebellion was not made in Ger
many, that II was not directed from
Germany, that il was not inspired from
Germany and that not one penny Of
German gold went 70 finance or assist
Gentlemen. have touched on these
personal matters because, intended as
they were TO reflect on my honor, they
were calculated to tarnish the cause
I hold SO dear"
INTENDED 10 Strike After War;
Sullivan, in summing I'D said the 4
charge against Sir Roger was that he
had aided Germany during the war
he declared Sir Roger was recruiting
men Tor service in Ireland after the
European. war had ended and that
there was no idea Of giving aid to
germany Sir Roger. he said. never
ia" o9iNIo -l-9ll-4leA 10 ugnE Tor Ter
many and not one atom Of aid had been
TO Germany
sullivan asserted the plan was that
an irish brigade was TO be quartered
IN Germany until after the war. II
Germany was successful the brigade [
was TO proceed to Ireland to strike a !
blow FOR home rule II Germany lost.
he brigade was to be sent TO America. J
sullivan COIlapses.
IOday's session of the trial was
,rought to a sudden and dramatic close
" nile summing up for the defence. Mr..
sullivan collapsed as he was in the
midst OF an impassiOned appeal and the
curt adjourned until tomorrow morn u
Ms &