New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-05
Charge Made in Delaware
as He Goes to Bellevue
Penalty Is Death.
THINK SEA TERROR
SHAMMING INSANITY
Authorities Suspicious Aroused
by Rambling Talk-Swann to
Fight Hospital Commitment.

Clarence Reginald Hodson, alias
Ernest Schiller. proved yesterday that
1t vas only short step from the sub
lime 70 the ridiculous. This young
German, who became a world famed
hero in the time It took the telegraph.
the cable and the wireless TO spread
the story Of his capture OF the British
steamer Mstoppo gle-handed, was
yesterday sent to Bellevue Hospital
shamming insanity-so the authorities
believe.
hodson. against whom warrant
charging piracy was issued yesterday
by the Federal Court IN Wilmington.
Del, will have only a brief respite.
District Attorney Swami will move to-
day that the commitment under which
Hodson is in Bellevue be revoked Mr..
Swami sought to do this yesterday, but
was too late. Magistrate Koenig. who
committed Hodson, had closed his
court.
The warrant calling for Hod.on's ar
rest charges q violation of Section 1868
Of the Federal statutes. which reads:
Every person who on the high seas
commits the crime Of piracy. as defined
by the law Of nations, and who is after
ward brought into or found in the
United States, shall suffer death"
Mourns Pirates Lost Fame.
Hodson, who had time and again eI-
pressed the fear that he might hang
for his crime-a hanging. however,
which he might have made glorious -
was started on his way to Bellevue
when the warrant WAS on its way TO
this city.
The pitiable spectacle began in JEFF
ferson Market court yesterday morn
ing, xhen Hodson was arraigned before
Magistrate Koenig with his two alleged
confederates on a charge of attempt
ing TO take the Cunarder Pannona.
Hodson began to make rambling state
ments 10 the court
Detective Barnitz. of Captain Tun-
ney's bomb squad. told the court that
Hodson, when brought to New York
from Lewes, Del, on Saturday. took
counsel with him on the advisability
Of shamming insanity. Said the de-
tective TO the court:
"The prisoner said, Don't you think
ought to pretend TO be crazy? | could
get away with it, all right Then
would be sent to q hospital
Saw Spirits on Matoppo.
When questioned by Magistrate Koe-
mig as to his name, the prisoner re
piled:
"My name il Clarence Reginald
Hodson. ! have a very dear friend. a
spy, in England named Ernest Schil-
Ter. and II was in his honor that took
that name"
Next, voluntarily, without any
prompting, he said:
my idea was to start a revolution
against Germany-no. | mean against
England. in Russia"
He stopped and Assistant District
Attorney Van Casteel asked him how
he would do this. Hodson rambled:
Il would not sink the ship. That
was because she was headed for Rus
STA. But I would make an eloquent
speech on board to show the poor, igno-
rant minds the truth. Then Russia
would drop out. But my eloquent
speech could not be made 80 that there
would be peace"
In answer to question of Magis-
trate Koenig Hodson said:
"Yes. | saw visions on the boat.
saw King George at the end of the
boat. Behind him was Earl Kitchener.
There was another general. but | did
not know him. He had white mus
tache."