Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-11-21
Cases Against Five Others
Under Indictment Dropped
on Motion of United States
District Attorney,
PURPOSE OF MOVEMENT
TO ASSIST GERMANY
Insurfection Among Hindu SOL
dierS Would Cause English
Government to Take Troops
From Western Front,

San Francisco, Calf. Nov. 20
Efforts of the United States govern
ment to prove the existence in this
country of a widely ramifying con-
spiraey to foment revolution against
British rule in India began here to-
day when thirty-four alleged conspir-
ators went on trial in the United States
district court
Bronzed turbaned natives of India
mingled among the defendants with
multi-millionaire ship owners and
ship builders, high German consular
officials, other alleged agents of the
German empire and adventurers
Two Main Objcctives. ...
The government contends that the
Indians induced by an idea of free.
ing their country from British rule
Joined with the German defendants
and with adventurers influenced by
the prospect of financial gain, in n
plan to cause mutinv among the ma
tive troops in British India. Two
things were to be accomplished by
the alleged conspiracy. the govern
ment charges. India was to be freed
and Great Britain was to have beer
forced to withdraw troops from the
continental battle fronts, thus weak
ening the allied forces. The plot had
spread greatly, the government al
leges until it flourished in many
places on the Pacific coast. in most
large American cities, in India and
Mexico.
Trial Opens Dramatically.
The trial opened dramatically. After
the defendants had been identified,
United States District Attorney John
W. Preston moved that the charges
against five of the defendants, Ernest
Skunna of New York, Capt Ralph
Russ, who received his commission in
the United States army in the first
reserve officers training camp here;
NJ Martinez of San Diego, Calf, at
torney; Leopold Michaels, multi-mil-
lionare ship owner of San Francisco,
and Ray Howard, Los Angeles attor-
ney, be dismissed on the ground that
it would not be "just and fair" to pr6s-
ecute them. The $4,000 bail of John
+. Craig, millionaire ship builder Of
Long Beach, Calf, the only defend
ant who failed to appear, was declar.
ed forfeited and a bench warrant was
Iissued for him. Advices from Long
Beach said Craig's on-disappearance
was due to misunderstanding over
ia demurrer he had filed to the indict-
ment against him He was reported
Non his way here tonight.
Other Cases Postponed.
District Attorney Preston moved
that the trials of three other defend,
ants be indefinitely postponed. One
Of these. Surandrar Nath Kar was
dying in Berkeley, Calf, sana-
torum. he explained. The cases
against Solon Leonhauser, Buddhist
priest, and his wife Marie, the only
woman defendant in the trial, were
also ordered postponed on the ground
of advanced age and i'll health.
Five jurors had been temporarily
passed when court adjourned. The
defense, in questioning talesmen, en-
phasized that many of the defendants
were citizens of Germany and was
particular to ask whether the fact
that state of war now existed be-
tween the United States and Germany
would have any influence with them.