The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-04-24
Saxtons River German Civ
en- Hearing in u. S. Court
Here Today
TALKED AGAINST
UNITED STATES

~~NNNA
Colors at Head of His Bed-Declined
to Have Counsel Unless Latter Was
German Citizen.
For making remarks which were con
strued as detrimental to the interests
of the United States and as giving aid
and comfort to the enemy Of this coun-
try, Max Wolff Of Saxtons River, 3
wears old, was ordered By United States
Judge Harland B. Howe in the federal
building this forenoon to be confined
until further order Of court.
At the close Of the hearing, which
was the first held III the new govern
mcnt building, Wolf was rcmanded TO
the custody of United States Marshal
Arthur =. Carpenter. The court stated
that as the proceedings were new he
would look up the statutes this after
noon and make a little further nvesti-
CATION before stating where Wolf
should be confined He said he would
make some further findings before lcav-
ing town, unless some unexpected OBJ
staclc was found.
The government was represented bv
| United States District Attorney Yer
non 4. Bullard of Burlington. Wolff
had no counsel and would not heed the
court S advice to employ counsel either
at his own expense or the expense of
the government. Judge Howe repeated
~ told Wolff that he ought to be de
Tended by an attorney, even after all
the evidence was in. but Wolff had his
own convictions as to what he ought
to do and stubbornlv refused either to
employ counsel. or testify in his own be
half He did say once, however, that he
would have a lawyer if he could have
one who was 4 German like himself.
Clerk F. S. Platt of Rutland read the
complaint, which set out the fact that
the United States and Germany were at
war and that the President had issued
a proclamation cnjoining persons from
doing or saying anything TO give aid or
comfort to the enemy. 1t is stated that
!. Wolf was an alien enemy, q native and
citizen of Germany and that for him TO
lie at large would be dangerous TO pub
lie safety. II charged that on April
Il, 1919, Wolff Violated the United
States statutes and the President 5
proclamation bv saving in the presence
of others: ''To hell with your country
, (meaning the United States; ! belong
to q good country and at the same
time he displayed ribbon roSetic Of
the German colorS.
! To these charges Wolff pleaded not
, guilty. aid when asked il hc
wanted counsel, he replied; u
! do not need amy. | can speak for
myself Judge Howe told him il would
be more prudent for him to have coun-
! sci. hut Wolff was determined.
B. +. Merriam, superintendent of
schools Of Bellows Falls was called TO
the witness chair. He said that through
! him Wolf came from the state reform
tory in Railway, ~ j., last October 10
work for DR.. ". d. Bowen of Saxtons
River. The witness said he asked
Wolf on the night of April - il he
didn t think it best 70 take out nat
uralization papers. Wolff replied that
! he didn t propose to, and showed him
German rosette. He caiI he was Ger
man and had but one country and pro
9 posed to be loyal to the German govern
c mcnt. Mr. Merriam said ordinarily he
), converscd satisfactorily, but that OH
h this occasion he was obstinate. The
[. witness said Wolff was a man of some
c education and had said that he followed
!, closely the newspaper accounts Of the
|. war. Wolff did not care to question the
4 witness.
+ DR.. Bowen was then called. Ie said
Wolff suddenly showed lack of inter
}. est in his garden work and when Spoll-
], Ell TO about it asserted that he didn I
i propose to carry on a large garden 10
n help England when the Germans were
5, starving. The witness testified to hay
# ing heard Wolff say to the district at
/ torncv just previous to the hearing that
i he had been in this country five years !:
that he took his money out of the bank
because he didn t want the United
States to have the use of it; that he
intended to do all he could for Ger
n many and would moi light against his
family; that when asked by the district
fattorney if he would like to be returned
J. to the reformatory Wolff replied that
II he did not want to 20 back because
Il if he did he would have to salute the
a American flag and sing American
l. songs or be punished for not doing So
> 81 did not say that the United
claimed Wolff, but that the United
States sent food TO England and they
starved Germany Judge Howe told
Wolff that that was not the time for
Is him to testify. but that he could ask
the witness questions and would be Civ
en- a chance to testify later. Wolf
Y, asked no questions.
4 The time and circumstances under
e which Wolff made the remarks charged