The Mankato free press., 1917-11-02

the Su9drman Case.
Demurring to the indictment. on
the ground that it charged an offense
that the governments testimony did
not attempt to substantiate, Attorney
Seymour Stedman of Chicago this
morning sought to bring to an end
the case of the government against
Abraham L. Sugarman, Minnesota
state secretary of the socialist party,
on trial in the United States district
court in Minkato.
Mr.. Stedman pointed out that the
Indictment charged Sugarman with
having attempted in his Kelso speech
on July "a to stir up sedition, dis
loyalty and mutiny in the forces of
the United States in time of war.
Mr.. Stedman declared that there was
nothing in the governments testi-
mony to show that the men who
heard the Kelso speech were any part
of the forces of the United States.
These men were not in the govern
ment military service.
In reply" to this, District Attorney
Jacques pointed out that many of the
men who heard Sugarman when that
speech was delivered were already
registered and were therefore in the
military forces of the United States,
whether they were actually in the
service or not. Hence, the acts OF
Sugarman did come under the law
and under the indictment.
The attorneys were not through ar
guing this point when the court took
fits usual recess at noon.
Three witnesses were examined
this morning before the government
rested. These were Avoid w. Zach
arias, sheriff of Sibley county, who
testified in regard to some of the
audience at Kelso having been regis
tered; John P. McGovern, secret
service agent of the government and
his younger brother, Joseph McGov-
ern, aged eighteen years. The Nc
Govern brothers both live at Airing
ton.
Testimony of McGovern.
iuJohn P. McGovern's testimony was
the most important of the three. He
told of his attending the Kelso meet
ing. He told that Sugarman said
this was not the first time that con-
scription had been tried in the United
States and that it was tried in the
Civil war; He said Sugarman asked
how it worked then, and then spoke
of little town in Maine, where the
men said they would not be drafted
into the army. This little town seeded,
Sugarman is alleged to- have said,
from the United States; also that all
during the war, no one was drafted
out of that town, and that that little
sown is still living contentedly apart
from the government. He said
Sugarman made the statement that
that showed what could be done by
sticking together. Another statement
attributed to Sugarman by his wit
ness was that President Wilson was
elected on the slogan that he kept
America out of the war, but that at
the same time he had this war in
mind and had made up his mind that
the nation was to be plunged into it.
"They say that this is a free coun-
try" Sugarman was alleged to have
said. Like hell it is" Another
statement attributed to Sugarman by
this witness was that there were g.
600 socialists in ST. Paul that did not
register, and they were not molested
by the government; also that If those
people before him stuck together and
refused to register they could go right
along with their raising of hogs and
other pursuits in the country and the
government would not do anything
to them.
John F. McGovern also testified
that when he was at the Kelso meet
ing he asked Sugarman if he had
registered. Sugarman said he had.
McGovern asked why he had done
so and Sugarman said he did it to
keep out of Jail. The socialist party
saw that it would make more use oi
him out of Jail than in Jail.
Sugarman himself was placed OF
the witness stand this afternoon by
the defense. He made a denial o
the statement that had advised any.
body to refuse to report for military
duty after being called. He said he
went to Kelso to establish loca
socialist organization.
Witness On Stand Yesterday.
Most of yesterday was taken up with
the trial of Sugarman.
R L. Sander, general merchant at
Arlington, Sibley county, testified that
in his judgment there were about 300 to
400 people present at the open-air meet
ing in Kelso township, not far from
Arlington, the meeting at which Sugar
man is alleged to have made the speech
encouraging young men to refuse to reg
lister for military service. He said tha
in that speech Sugarman said he wa:
against all wars; that the common people
in wars had to give their lives for what
the rich people wanted; that certain
number of people in st. Paul did no
register; that the conscription officer
would have "a hell of a time arrestine
the whole crowd;'' that the government
had no right to send the American peo
Die over to France; that II they were t.
be shot there they might just as wei
be shot at home; that the American.
did not have a free government; that the
common people had nothing to say, anC
that they were merely drafted and hat
nothing to say as to whether they want
ed to serve or not. Under cross ex.
animation the witness stated that n,
himself signed a petition to Washington
asking for the repeal of the conscriptior
act. and that that petition was circulated
among the crowd.
Talk Was Pretty Strong.
G, W. Wolter of Arlington, twenty
seven years old, was another witness HI
said he was registered. He said ther
were 200 or more automobiles at tn,