Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-27
SIR ROGER EASEMENT
FACES TRIAL FOR LIFE
'hief Conspirator in Sim Fcin Re-
volt Charged With High
Treason
JURY is QUICKLY CHOSEN
Prisoner Makes Formal Plea of Not
Guilty-No Indication Given rs To
What Will BE the Character OF
Defense

What Will BE the Character OF
Defense. !
LONDON, Juno 2s.--Sir Roger Case
n:en., chief conspira'or I'm the Sim Fcin
revolt in Ireland. faced to-day trial
for his life on charge of high treason
N the High Court Of Justice.
No indication was given by his coun-
sci as To what would be the nature Of
the accused mans defense Francis r.
Doyle. of Philadelphia who has been
retained by Easements family. has re-
fused 10 say anything beyond denying
a report that his client would throw
himself on the mercy OF the govern
nent
Sir Roger Easement has been In Jail
since April 20, when he was captured
on the west coast OF Ireland, after
having been landed from German
steamer. which was attempting TO run
the British blockade and land cargo
OF arms in Ireland for the projected
revolution The steamer was blown
up BY it's crew when they found that
its capture by a British patrol boat
was inevitable.
Up 20 a year before the war broke
out Easement had been In the British
consular service. IN which he served
a total Of eighteen years lie had at
tanned wide celebrity for his exposure
OF the rubber atrocities In Brazil and
also IN the Kongo Shortly after the
outbreak OF the war Easement went
~ Berlin. where he opened ncgot!a-
tons for aid for an Irish rebellion.
On mis- arraisnmcnt before a maeis-
trate following his capture. Irish
prisoners OF war who had hecn ex-
changed testified that ne had en-
deavored 70 persuade captured Irish
soldiers TO Join Il revolutionary force
which was 20 be dispatched 10 Ireland,
REVOLT SUPPRESSED
AFTER BLOODY FIGHTING
The sinn Fe!n rcvol, broke gu, in
Dublin the day before tn. capture Of
Easement. It was suppressed after
Moody Aght!ag. principally in Dublin.
IN which several hundred people were
killed and Large portion of the bust
ness section Q. the I:sh capital re-
duoed 10 ashes by artillery. Nearly
score OF the ringieade:s were sum
mar!!T executed by court martial fol-
lowing tho crushing Of the revolt.
More than 1000 OF the rani. and n.o
.. ,hc rebels were transp ported 20 Eng
l!sh ja!s, where large numbers are
san held. many under lonr-terrn SEN
fences
- 1850 o'clock THIS morning a clerk
il the court Of the Lord Chief Justice
called out: The King versus Sir
Roger Easement" and the trial was
under way.
The little courtroom is about the
size OF the room Of the Supreme Court
in Washington. Like most courts It's
ventilation and acoustics are dcfec-
tive The Judges bench runs along
one side. with the high iron rallied
docks and the Jurors box thanking /,
on the left and right The lawyers sit
4, tables in the we'll! back OF which
rise half dozen rows of benches.
which to-day were :!isd with bar
r!scers IN white wigs and block gowns.
and with a large number -: reporters
Above is a SINAI! gallery. which was
filled with spectators. over the doca
in a small balcony Were half q dozen
women.
Viscount Reading. the Lord Chief
Justice. and Justices Avory and Hor-
ridge. IN bright scarlet robes and
powdered wigs. took their seats. the
case was called and sir Roger Case
ment was brought in. The prisoner
was pale. His black hair and beard
were neatly trimmed. and he wore
black cutaway and black tie. with a
white band in his waistcoat collar.
Sir Roger bowed 70 the Justices. and
the chief Justice returned the saluta-
ton with equal formality. The
prisoner stood leaning on tho iron rail-
ing with folded arms while the clerk
read the long Indictment.
The Indictment followed in legal
points that returned against Colonel
Arthur Lynch. who fought against the
British In the Boer War When asked
II he was guilty or not guilty. Sir
Roger bowed and rurmured something
which was inaudible. HIS chief coun-
sci. Alexander Sullivan, Of Dublin,
argued that the Indictment was mo Of
Tense known to the law" and that mono
OF the ncts specified was alleged TO
ha<s taken place IN any territory over
which tho King has any jurisd.ctson
The court ruled that any exceptions to
the Indictment could be taken after the
hearing, without prejudice 20. the
prisoner
Then Sir Roger made formal plea
90 not guilty, speaking in firm tones
Jurors from the panel were called for
ward The prisoners counsel objected
to the first. who wore on his coat
sleeve the khaki band OF men attested
for the army. and waiting TO be
called up.
Several perenptory challenges were
made BY both sides
After eleven Jurors had been seated
there was great difficulty IN finding tho
twelfth. The defense challenged for
cause" more than a dozen in success
sion. AZ 11:io o'clock the Jury was
completed. Each Juror took the oath
separately, ito true deliveranoe make
between our sovereign lord, the King.
and the prisoner at the bar"
The Jury is composed Of middle ged
men. apparently of the small merchant
and clark class Samuel Saunders. be-
ing a Jew, took the oath with his hat
on The jury wa 5 sworn three-quar-
tiers of An hour after the court sat
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MAKES
SPEECH FOR GOVERNMENT
Sir Frederick Smith. the Attorney
General. made the opening address for
the government He dwelt on the