Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-05-07
EMPLOYE
At PEARL HARDOR
ARRESTED As spy
Bail for George Roenitz is Ex'
pected to Be Placed at
$25,O 600 Today -.

Capt. George r. Clark, commandant
OF Pearl Harbor naval station, who u
being held az Oahu prison by federal
authorities on charges OF alleged es7
pionage, this afternoon was to be SUM
.moned before United States Commits
sioner George s, Curry and his bond
fixed, II is understood, at $4,000.
United States Attorney s. G. Huter
who, with Deputy Marshal Otto +.
Heinie, took charge Of Roenitz upon
his arrival here Saturday evening
from the Orient under guard, said to-
day that the preliminary hearing OF
the case win not be held before Wed.
lesday. xtis ! > J ~ -
Roenitz il held for alleged viola
lions OF the act 81 March 3. 1911, re-
lating TO national defense secrets, and
especially the chapter for the proven
ton Of the disclosure of national de-.
tense secrets. Huber adds that the
new espionage bill, now before con
grees, VIII bear on the subject and
probably Increase the provisions II II
goes through. .-ssr-. =. g, 8 s.
Ten Years Maximum Penalty
For q general violation. of sthe act
n question, the penalty d tine or
not more than $1,000 or Imprisonment
for not more than one year, OF both;
while, for the section outlining the
offense OF communicating to q foreign
government or its agent sketches,
sketches, plans, photographs and other:
Information, the penalty Is inhprisoH-
n.ent for not more than ten years.
Z, 1--WE believe We have sufficient evil
denee 20 hold Roenitz. says the dis
trict attorney. Aside from making
this remark he declined to discuss the
case. :.
the case Of Roenitz was first brought
&c the attention Of the federal OFFICIALS
twosof three weeksago By Capt Clerk
81 the naval station.
Roenitx, the United States attor.
ney's Office says, was on leave Of abb
,seilce when the United States severed
idiploAnfic relations with Germany on
FEBRUARY At that time orders were
issued 10 the effect that German.
Americans a. the lighthouse and other
branches % federal service be let ont.
and nbenitz was suspended under this
general order 80
He protested iiis case through the
.ci1il service, as he vas q civil service
man, and his protest was allowed.
and he was so notified. But this noti
fieation was issued after he had left
Honolulu for Manila and. as Attorney
Huber put II today, he probably did
not learn Of the notification until his
arrival m Honolulu on Saturday.
While on his leave Of absence, Ro-
enitz came back 10 Honolulu and
learned Of HIS suspension from the
federal service. He then returned to
San francisco as passenger In the
Great Northern. Back IN San Fran.
cisco lie boarded 8 transport as Stew.
ard, passing through Honolulu and go.
Ing from here to Manila and Nagasaii.
The United States attorneys office
says that Kocnifz left San Francisco
on THE same transp0ft Chat finally
brouehi him back to Hon6lulu under
guard, and THAI ne was IN Manila and
Nagasaki only as long as the trans
port remained al those ports. He did
not change transports. as morning
faper has stated.
II Is alleged that ROenitz obtained
HOINN4 -ItoI NA90tO8l ONAAop Hc0DbttG1I
plans and sketches Of certain defehse
works Ct the naval station at Pearl
Harbor. which act would be In yiola.
ton II the statute elsewhere referred
to.
baenane Being Held
His baggage Is being held ct the
custom house. There Is quite q large
assortment. Federal officials here Do
not connect Roenitz with the German
recently taken to Chicago by Marshal
j. Smiddy TO face charges Of al.
legged espionage.
Officers on the transport say that
Roenitz declared he had been to
Manila and Nagasalki to purchase
stock Of lace and other material with
which to open up store in Honolulu.
There Is quantity 4of such material
In his baggage. Much OF this he de.
clarsd when he entered the port.
II R0enitz Is bound over to the.
grand jury and e. he Is indicted. the
trial win be held in Honolulu. as the
altered offense took place here and
as the jurisdiction lies here.
80