The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-10-19
is GIVEN
PRISON Sentence
Former Cldrk To Pearl Harbor
Commandant Must Serve
One Year For Espionage

.
George Roenitz, former clerk 20
Capt, George r. Clark, eommandant Of
the harl Harbor naval station, was
sentenced TO a years imprisonment At
hard labor and to pay a fine of $3.50
md costs, on a charge Of espionage,
by Federal Judge Poindexter ycster.
lay afternoon.
i Rocnitz was indicted on -four differ.
Mt counts, but on his expressing q viii.
ngness TO plead guilty to the second
cunt Of the indictment, the remain
ng three charges were nolle pressed at
he institution Of United states Attor.
icy Huber, NJ
The count Of the Indictment to which
defendant pleaded" guilty charged him
With having without proper authority
obtained, taken and made certain doeui
nents, sketches, Photographic mega
ives and plans, and with having oh.
. aimed knowledge Of matters connect.
I'd with the national defense, to which
he was not entitled.
Roenitz, who was unrepresentcd by
counsel, made long statement prior
o receiving sentence. He said that
the worst he had been gpilty Of was
IN indiscretion in taking away docn,
ments and papers from the naval sta
ion, and emphatically denied any NAL
cious or felonious intent.
Declares Loyalty
Defendant cited, as evidence Of his
oyalty TO the United States the facts
hat two days after coming to Hawaii
n 1909, he took out his first paper, and
pecame naturalized seven years later;
md that for over two years he filled
he responsible position of deputy Uni
ed States marshal, = 81
81 am and have always been good
american, whose loyalty has never
,ecn questioncd,'' said Roenitz
Eve'y day that / have spent in jail
nd l have been confined for SIX
lonths, has been an eternity to mo, and
am q poor man hope that YOU
,onor will see At to impose only Q
fine. - isu,. NJ II
Judge Poiadexter, before passing SEN
enee pointed out that plea of guilty
| 'oreclosed any statement on the part
If defendant as 10 his innocence and
stated that all that was left for hin
o do was TO impose the penalty pro
ided by law. a.as ~
"If you are not guilty." remarked
he Judge, /" you are certainly most
unfortunate man, but / cannot con
,eive how a man of your apparent in
telligence can plead guilty to such Q
serious charge unless he were fully
'onyinced in his inner conscience that
re were guilty. ...r.,.' IS W..
Punishment Too Light s ms
aYou are fortunate in that your of
| ense was not committed in. time OF
var, for many man in your own coun
| ry has been sent to the wall with
much less evidence against him thar
Jas been presented, in your ease. In
ime of war firing.squad metes out
punishment to spies. i... :. - 3
'"The law only permits me to sen
tence you to a years imprisonment, OF
fine of $1,000 or both, and this pun,
ishment i firmly believe to be made
| 1uate to the crime. Congress has fixed
he penalty, however, and it is not for
| me to criticize il but to pronounce
'entcnce in accordance with the law
ind, l therefore sentence you to, O
years imprisonment at hard labor and
o pay a fine of $3.50 and costs OF
ourt.' .N - -. @.-
In Marshal Smiddy's Office, later in
he afternoon, Roenitz again declared
that he was innocent and that he had
1een bounded to his present predica.
ment by an enemy in official circles ut
the Pearl Harbor naval station. He
,lso stated that his sentence was more
than twice as much as he had expected
Il would be. -, "a D.. tea, -