New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-10-03
YOGEL WAS UNABLE
TO GET INTO ARMY
sssssRIoUs OFFERS OF SERVICE
WERE DECLINED BECAUSE
OF ACE.
HEARING OF CITY AND COUNTY
OFFICERS is HELD AT COURT
HOUSE.

;
county Auditor Louis G. Vogel has
offered his services for the army at
several different occasions since congress
decided that the United States is at war
with Germany, or within. a few days
before war was actually declared, but
at time when the country would
inevitably be drawn into the European
Struggle. This was developed in the
evidence in the hearing of the Public
Safety commission against Mr.. Vogel,
Mayor L. A. Fitsche and City Attorney
Albert Pfaender, accused of participating
In what the commission has chosen to
term an "anti-draft' or "disloyalty"
meeting on July %, last. Mr.. Vogel
produced copies of letters written on
the following dates: To Congressman
Ellsworth, March 20, 1917, and on the
same date to Adjutant General Fred B.
Wood; July 5, 1917, to General Resche
of Duluth, in command Of the Minnesota
National Guard; July II, repeated his
fer to General Resche. His offers
SeSall declined for the reason that he
had passed the age limit.
Hearing is Begun.
The hearing Of the three officers was
begun in the court room here Wednesday
morning. Thursday night the attorneys
decided to hold evening sessions that
the proceedings might be fastened as
much as possible.
James III. Hall of Marshall, county
attorney of Lyon county, special COM
missioner appointed by the. Safety
commission, is hearing the case, while
Attorney S.sA. Ryan of st. Paul is con-,
Quoting the case for the commission,
assisted by Attorney Ambrose Tighe Of
st. Paul. Mayor Fritsche and Mr..
Pfaender were represented by Attorney
Thomas ]. McDermott of St. Paul and
ALI. w. Mueller represented Mr.. Vegel.
Peter Kitzberger, member Of the.
Hofmeister band, was the first witness,
who said that the services eff that organi-
zation were engaged at band practice
MEETING on Monday evening, July %,
= 70 nights before the mass meeting in
Yquestion. He said that F. H. Retzlaff
invited the band to participate in the
parade and meeting, explaining that
it was for the purpose of discussing war
questions. Mr.. Retzlaff, the witness
said in answer to questions asked by
Ryan, did the talking, and that Mr..
Pfaender was present, but he did not
see Mayor Fritsche. He said Mr..
Retzlaff explained that the meeting
was to be held at the request of the
drafted boys" and that the band voted
to donate its services, as was the custom
on other occasions for meetings of a
public nature. After the meeting the
band had been presented with $23.25,
but this was taken as. a donation. He
thought Mr.. Vogel was at the head of
the parade, but he was not sure, as his
place in the band was far in the rear,
and that he paid no attention to the
details. In reply to questions put by
Mr.. McDermott, Mr.. Kitzberger said
she Hofmeister band also played at the
loSslty meeting here on the evening OF
August 4.
Mr.. Mueller asked the witness if Mr..
VogeI had anything to do with engaging
the band and he replied that the county
! auditor was not present. He also said,
in reply to another question, that he
had been resident of this city practically
all of his life, and that he believed Mr..
8Yogel had led practically every parade
v iii the past fifteen years.
Another Band Man.
The next witness was R. "A. Seeman,
also a member of the band, who con
firned the statements made by the first
witness in many of the details. He said
he had been resident of this city only
a few months, and was not very well
ACQUAINTED with the defendants. He
said the band was engaged by Mr.. Retz-
laff and thot Mayor Fritsche was
,,rosent but was not sure as to the latter.
He didn't know before the night OF the
meeting just what kind OF q parade It
WAS TO be, and didn't remember whether
+ha hand was to donate its services OF
,,o+ He also failed to remember that
E e.ing was said relative to the draft
10 ho,d meeting. He said he under
( stood that the object Of the meeting
Was to discuss the war, but from what
standpoint he did not know. He SAID
Continued on page 2, col. y