Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-01
ROENITz BOUND
over TO GRAND
JURY; BOND SET
Reason to Believe Foreign
Government Communicated
With, Finds Curry

I have reasonable cause to believe
the defendant guilty OF the second
third and fourth charges in the com
plant. and so hold"
With these words |. s. Commission
or George S. Curry yesterday after
noon brought 70 a close the prelimi
nary hearing Of Ionolulus first spy
case and ordereL George Roenitz,
former clerk TO the Commandant OF
the Pearl HarbOr naval station, bound
over to the federal grand jury for
further investigation
One OF the three charges alleges
that the defendant communicated TO a
foreign government information re-
lating to the national defense Of the
United States, although Attorney E
c. Peters counsel for Roenitz, has con,
tended throughout the hearing that
there has been no evidence tending to
prove this allegation.
Bond Remains at $4,000
At the close of the hearing. COm
missioner Curry intimated that the
bond Of the defendant might be liked
at $4,000 instead of at $4,000, the
present figure Attorney Peters
branded the proposed increase as an
absurdity
The evidence here discloses that
everybody was doing it, declared
Peters, referring to the taking Of pic.
lures at the Fearl Harbor naval sta
ton
Curry said the pictures we're only
a part of the case: that there was q
list Of the titles Of 10 photographs,
written in German, that was also i'm
lortant.
There are not sufficient facts and
circumstances to warrant a prohibit
tive bail" reported Peters.
Peters wanted the ,bail fixed at
$4,000. We canN>sive $4,000" he
added.
IF it wasn't for the element Of com,
munication to foreign government,
said Curry, Il would have reason to
believe the amount Of the bail too
high as it now stands. But, in the
presence Of that element, | do not
believe 5000 is too high" And he
added that the list of the picture
titles in German had been found in a
locked trunk, according to the evil
dence.
U. S. Satisfied With Bond
T. S. Attorney Huber said that the
government would be satisfied with d
bond Of $4,000 and, with this assur-
ance, Commissioner Curry allowed the
bail to stand at its present figure.
Roe1itz has been in Oahu prison
since his arrest, following his arrival
here from Manila on transport,
about a month ago, having been I'M
able to secure sureties on lis bond.
Shortly after his arrest, Roenitz asser-
ted his innocence to the L. S. attor-
neys office and offered to give It
every assistance in clearing up the
case.
The only witness, and the last wit.
ness for the defense, called yesterday
afternoon was Pvt. Paul Rhinehart,
Marine Corps, who testified that he
took, developed and printed the four
post card photos OF scenes at Pearl
Harbor alleged to have been found in
ROenitz's possession.
He said that he took these pictures
about a year and half ago, and that,
in taking them, he had no authority
whatever to so DO. He added that he
did not know at the time that it was
necessary to secure such authority
There was no commissioned officer
about when he took them, he went on
adding that he had printed about Is
copies from the plates. He said these
prints had been sold to the enlisted
men at the post
Negatives Destroyed
Bat the negatives were destroyed
three days after they were taken up
on the order Of one of the officers, the
Witness testified. He said he had sold
meme of these particular pictures to
ROenitz or to any civilian; said he
did not even know the defendant
Private Rheinhart testified further
that there were eight or ten cameras
at the station, as we'll as YARD
photographer. He said there were
several persons competing with hin
in the selling Of photographs.
Enlisted men and officers both
had cameras and took pictures until
lately" the witness added.
Following the testimony Of Rhei1
hart the defense rested and submitted
the case without argument. The
prosecution also waived argument anc
! Commissioner Curry ordered the de