The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-05-15
ALLEGED spy IS
UP FOR HEARING
ANDDOeUM[NFS
Seized FILED
Photographs and Confidential In
struotlons From Secretary Of
Navy Figure N Evidence
COULD BE USED 70
INjURE UNITED STATES


quences Which Could Result
George Roenitz, formerly chief clerk
at the local naval station, appeared be.
fore United States Commissioner
George 8. Curry yesterday morning, to
receive A preliminary hearing on the
charge q espionage preferred against
him by the federal onthoritios.
District Attorney s. g. Huber pre-
scented the case for the government, and
y. G Peters appeared for defendant.
AZ noon the hearing was adjourned
until Tuesday morning at nine O'Clock,
the prosecution having laid its hand on
the table, and Huber having stated that
the government had nothing else Of inn
portance 70 Offer in the way of ex-
lhibits.
Attorney Peters stated that he would
eross-examine the chief witness for the
prosecution, Commandant George r..
Clark, Of the local naval station, and
after that examination has been com,
pleted there Is every probability that
the case will be continued pending the
return Of Mrs. Counts, stenoerapher in
the office Of the United States district
attorney, from a vacation to Hilo,
which started yesterday and which will
end next Saturday. The transcription
of number Of notes made by Mrs.
Counts at an early examination Of Roe
nitz, has been called for by counsel for
the defense. i
Plenty Of Evidence
As far as could be judged by the exy
hibits admitted as evidence at yester-
days hearing, the case against Roenitz
looks very black, particularly with ma
tional conditions as they are at present.
These exhibits include the following
items; r
Loose-leaf pamphlet Of changes made
from time to time In the regulations
Of the United States navy and instruc,
tions TO officers
-Four photographs Of Pearl Harbor
naval station and works, printed as
I postcards.
A letter purporting to describe nine
teen photographs of Pearl Harbor sta
| ton and vicinity.
Memorandum relating to the Pearl
Harbor naval station, consisting of sew
eral typewritten sheets.
Translation Of code message from
Secretary of Navy Daniels prescrib-
ing certain action to be taken IN cer4
tain eventualities, and the course TO
be followed on receipt of information
of such eventualities transpiring.
Copy of report to the navy de-
partment relating to the movements
Of the japanese cruiser Hizen, which
was of this port at the time the Ger
man gunboat Geier interned.
Defendant Downcast
nnauskw ........ .....I H..
throughout the hearing, and at times
gave the impression Of being exceed.
Iingly downcast.
Attorney Peters for the defense stat
ed, early in the hearing, that he was
going to insist on every scintilla and
little Of evidence against his client be-.
ing produced, and went about his task
with extreme elaboration and thorough
ness.
Capt. George r. Clark, chief fitness
for the prosecution, did everything in
his power 10 faeilitate the hearing,
answering al questions put 10 him in a.
| straight saiIorly manner. and manifest
ing a spirit Of absolute impartialfty and
fairness throughout the proceedings Of
the morning.
CONFIDENTIAL Documents 4,
Captain Clark testified that the docu-
ments in question were Of an extreme-
~ confidential nature, and that in all of
his forty.three years naval experience
he had not heard Of papers Of similar
experiences having been copied or tam
pered with. He stated that the docu-
ments were Of a highly important nature
and that they could be used 20 the detri-
ment OF the government by people of
evil intentions into whose hands they
might fall.
The four photographs, which de
picted government works and ara
ments az the Pearl Harbor naval sta
tion, could not have been taken out
side of the reservation, Captain Clark
stated They are birdseye views Of
the interior of the naval reservation at
Pearl Harbor, and might have been
taken from one OF the aeriaIs there.
Betrayed Sub Secrets
Captain Clark stated that the d0cu-
ment with regard to changes in naval
regulations and instructions TO officers, !
might be Of value to person Of evil
intention into whose possession they
came, aud cited as an instance of the
harm which might accrue from the pos.
session thereof, the fact that In the
document the distinctive marks of sub
marines were outlined.
The -four photographs, Captain Clark
stated, might be OF assistance Toll
evilly- disposed persons in dropping
bombs on the government. works, !
which, he said, were disguised by
shrubbery and other means, to as
great an extent as possible.
Wanted For A Book
Mrs. Counts testified that in the
course OF conference in the district |
attorneys office, regarding Documents
found in the possession Of Defendant,
the latter stated that the reason why
he had them was that he had been |
asked TO secure some information for |
MT Castle who was writing a book
on Hawaii and that he had undertaken
the work with the permiasion OF All |
mifal Bouaeh Tht .,hnt ~. :