The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-10-13

be permitted to impugn the motives
Of the attorneys for the government
and once Mr.. Waring appealed to the
court to remind Mr.. Grace that the
assistant district attorney. who il"
conducting the governments case,
would not submit to reflections cast
upon his motives in introducing testi-
mony. Mr.. Warning explained to the
court that he was doing his duty, tina,
IL was an unpleasant task, but one
that had been assigned him.
While wierse was on the stand Mr.,
Grace suddenly asked permission OF
the court to introduce evidence to
prove the ownership of the Charles
ton Evening Post. Judge Smith
promptly excluded any such testi-
mony. The Post had not been men
toned i'm any manner.
| While these sharp clashes were go-
/ irg on Captain Klattenhom sat with
eyes on the floor. apparently uncon-
ccrned In what was going on about
him. but Wierse was alert and show
oil n lively interest i'm every move
AS the court was engaged in trying
these men. charged with conspiracy
I'm favor of n foreign government with
which the United States is at war, q.
score of women Red Cross workers
In the audience were busy with their
long needles knitting for the Ameri-
can soldiers. The court room was
crowded all during the day.
Half an hour was consumed this
morning in securing jury. The gov
crnment objected to six men and the
defense TO four. When completed
the jury was as follows: John ID
lWhisenhunt. Orangeburg. foreman; j..
NJ. Steadman. Aiken; John Conner.
aiken; Elwood f. Woodward. Aiken
Young Simmons. Mt. Pleasant; ID. B.
Davis. Orangeburg; III. t. Grimes.
Lees; j. III. DesChamps. Lee County;
James r. Abercrombie. Aiken; l.. T.
Jarrett. Aiken: w. ID. Sanders, st.
Matthew'S; w. S. Barton, Jr., Orange
burg.
A great deal OF the testimony pro-
duced at the trial of the crew of the
libenfels at Florence was gone over
by substantially the same witnesses
and while the government was agair
building up case, first to prove thas
the Libenfels was sunk. Mr.. Grace
made desperate attempt to admit the
unlawful act OF the actual sinking of
he vessel on the part OF Captain
Siattenhoff. but the court ovcrruled
him unless he would admit the same
on the part of Wierse. cojointly charg
ed with Klattenhoff with conspiracy
Judge Smith explaining that con-
spiracy to commit an unlawful act
and the actual commission of an un-
lawful act were separated and dis
tinct.
The first witness called was James
u. Allen OF Charleston. United States
district engineer. who gave the loca-
ton OF the Liebenfels i'm Charleston
harbor.
j. J. Lockwood "a tug boat captain
testified that he observed the Llben-
fcls sinking on the morning OF Feb
vuary 1, and offered assistance. which
was declined
{. II. Ycager. submarine diver, told
of finding vital parts o. the cagine
aboard the Liebcnfels demolished as
whence that the vessel had beer
IGunk.
III. G. Muller. postmaster at Mullet
Han. on Johns Island, testified th.t
kiattenhoff, who was staying near by
IN the country. came to his store and
tried to get Wierse over the telephone
a few days before the sinking of the
iAebenfels and that the same day
Wierse called over the phone and ask .
cd that word be sent 10 Klattenhoff
that there was very important lot i.
ter from him in town and that he
(Wierse) would send an automobile
far him.
William Andcll. who lives near Mul
ctt Hall. and with whom KlattcnhoI
Was staying. told OF WicIsc's going
! , his homo on " We1neSlay Janulr,
"a, TO call on klattenhoff. and tha
Eiattenhof returns d 10 Charleston II
Il automobile with Wicrsc. That wa
he afternoon before the sinking o.
he Liebenfels
l.. H. Jahnz. son of the former Ger
man consul at Charleston. Emile ~
Jahng. testified that the day before til
Idebenfels was sun.t Wicrse cmployc