Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-11-07
PLEADS GUILTY TO
DISLOYALTY Charge
SAM Won TALGE FINED $500 AND
SIX MONTHS IN COUNTY JAIL
BY JUDGE MULLAN.
JAIL SENTANCE IS SUSPENDED
Defendant Is Paroled In Care Of Faith.
er Who Has To Report To Off.
GERS Each Month.

the scene of an impressive proceeding
last Thursday afternoon when Sam
Won Talge, the teacher of the Oak
Grove school, two miles east OF Gree
ley, was arranged before Judge
Charles w. Mullan. Won Talge was
represented by his attorney, F. B.
Blair, and waived formal arraign-
ment and admitted that he was brought
into court under his true name. The
county attorney then read the infor-
nation, charging the defendant with
melting hostilities against the United
States government. The defendant
then entered a plea of guilty and his
attorney made brief statement OF
facts and asked the court to be as
lenient with the defendant as seemed
best in his judgment. The attorney
for the defendant stated that many of
the acts and deeds charged against
his client were committed through
carelessness and thoughtlessness. The
defendant had written statement to
the court which was filed with the pa
pers in the case. In his statement the
defendant attempted to show that his
acts were not the result Of premedi-
tated hostility to the government and
that he had been misquoted. He
promised to defend the government
even to the point OF going to the
trenches of France and give his life.
Before passing sentence the court ad-
dressed few remarks to the defend
ant, which will not be forgotten soon.
Judge Mullan said that he had read
the defendants communication and the
testimony of the witnesses taken be-
fore Justice A. f. Peterson, and was
satisfied that his acts were attributed
in part to thoughtlessness and care
lessness, but that part of the acts
charged to him were the result of dis
loyalty. The Judge called the youne
mans attention to the fact that his
parents were born in Germany and
left that country to avoid the auto
cratic form of government and came
to the United States to secure the
privileges and benefits of democrat
ic form of, government. They left to
avoid the military power which the
United States is now fighting. and
that of all persons, he (the defendanD
should be most loyal citizen.
The Judge said the parents had en-
joyed and were enjoying benefits
which they could never have received
in Germany, and it was especially Of
fensive that the defendant should not
only entertain disloyal sentiments but
should express them SO that they
should be disseminated into the homes
of his pupils. The Judge said he was
willing to believe that the defendant
had not appreciated the enormity OF
his offense, and was therefore placing
his punishment at the minimum penal
ty allowed by the statute-a fine OF
$500 and Imprisonment in the county
Jail for six months.
The Judge then stated that the Jail
sentence would be suspended till fur
ther order and that the defendant
would be paroled to his father who
would exercise the control of guard
ian over him and make reports as to
his conduct to the proper authorities
and that the question whether the de-
fendant should serve the Jail sentence
would depend on whether he acted as
loyal citizen. The defendant was or
dered not to depart from the jurisdic-
tion Of the court until further order
was made.