Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1917-04-27
WOLFF CONFINED
IN NEWFANE JAIL
Saxtons River German Arraigned
in u. S. Court Here
Talked Against United States Wore
German RoSctte and Had German
Colors at Head Of His Bed.


Colors at Head of His Bed.
For making remarks which were con.
Strucd 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. 81
years old, was ordered by United states
Judge lIallaid Il. Howe in the federal
building Tuesday to furnish .@j.oOo
bonds TO obey the laws in the future,
or to be confined in N"wlanc Jail un-
Til further order of court.
At the close Of the hearing, which
was the first held in the new govern.
mcnt building, Wolf was rcmandcd to
the custody Of United States Marshal
Arthur r. Carpenter
The government was represented by
| United States District Attorney Yer
non \. Ballard of Burlington. Wolff
had no counsel and would not heed the
court 5 advice to employ counsel either
| at his own expense or the expense Of
the government. Judge Howe rcpcatcl-
| ~ told Wolf that he ought to be de.
! Tended by an attorney, even after all
the evidence was in, but Wolf had his
own convictions as to what he ought
| ~ VO anu SlubbOIulN ItI uStV tlINtl 10
employ counsel. or testify in his own be-
! half. He did say once, however. that hr
would have a lawyer if he could have
one who was citizen of Germany
| like himself.
Clerk +. s. Plat 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
| 1n ;,;,
doing or saving anything to give aid or
comfort to the enemy. 1t is stated that
| Wolff was an alien enemy, Il native and
citizen Of Germany and that for him to
| be at large would be dangerous to pub
lie safety. It charged that ON April
II, 1917, Wolff violated the United
States statutes and the President 5
proclamation by saving in the presence
of others: "To he'll with your country
(mcaning the United States; | belong
to Il good country, and n the same.
time he displayed a ribbon roscttc Of
the German cOlors.
70 these charges Wolf pleaded not
guilty, and when asked If A"'
wanted counsel, he replied: ~
do not need ANY. | can speak for.
myself. " Judge Howe told him it would
be more prudent for him TO have coun
sell hut Wolf was determined.
Il. +. Merriam, superintendent of
schools of Bellows Falls was called to
the witness chair. He said that through
him Wolf came from the stat" reform
tory in galway, y. j., last October to
work for pr. W. d. Bowen Of SaXtons
River. The witness said he asked
Wolf on the night of April II il IN
didn t think it best TO take out nat
uraization papers. Wolff replied that
he didn t propose to, and showed him
German roScttc. He ,ail lac was n Ger.
man and had but one country and pro
posed TO be loyal to the German govern
mcnt. Mr., Merriam said ordiu2rilv he
convcrscd satisfactorily. bat that ON
this occasion he was obstinate. The
witness said Wolff was a man of some
education and had said that hr followed
closely the newspaper accounts Of the
war. Wolf did not care to question the
witness.
DR.. Bowen was then called. IIr said
| Wolf suddenly showed lack of inter.
est in bis garden work and When suol,.
en- TO about il asserted that hc di,lu +
| propose TO carry on Il large garden TO
| help England when the Gcrmau, ,ycrc
starving. Tho witness testified 10 bay.
| ing heard Wolf say TO the district at
| torncy just prev iouS TO the hearing thot
| h" had been in this country five wears.
that he took hi. money out Of tho hapI,
J because he didn At want the United
| States to have the use of it: that he
| intended to to all he could for Ger
many and would moi i.ht against his
family; that when asked by the district
attorney it he would like to be returned
TO the rcfounatory Wolf replied that
he did not want to 90 back because
If he did he would have to salute the
American flag and sing American
songs or hc punished for not doing SO.
81 did not say that the United
States was starving Germany cX-
claimed NOlm, "but that the United
States sent food to England and they
starved Gcrmanr.' Judge Howe told
Wolf that that was not the time for
him to testify, but that he could ask
the witness questions and would be civ.
en- chance to testify LATER Wolf
asked no questions.
The time and circumstances under
which Wolf made the remarks charged
against him were told hv Charles Stone
OF Bellows Falls, conductor, and john
! ID. Dunbar Of Bellows Falls X SaXtons
River street railroad.
\ stone said that ON April T. Wolff
was n passenger ON Il street car. on
which there were several other pas>cu.
gers and that the witness heard dunbar
ask Wolff if he was going to enlist i'm
Company +, He said Woln's answer
was, no. TO hell with the United
States. | am going to fight for a good
Motnrmon hupI,.,.. ,..,r,l.,.,,. 81 -