The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-04-26
TRIAL ENDS IN A
II DOUBLE TRAGEDY

SAN FRANCISCO, April 24-(Asso.
ciated Press -The Hindu conspiracy
case went to the jury last night with
two Of the principal defendants wins
in the morgue after one of the most
dramatic tragedies ever staged in an
American court of justice. The two
dead men are Ram Chandra, editor
of the Hindu revolutionary paper
Ghadr and Bragwan Singh, Hindu
poet and philosopher, alleged to have
been the leading agent of the Hindu
rev olutionists.
Early yesterday afternoon, az Dis.
trict Attorney Preston was summing
up the case for the prosecution, re
spending to the arguments of the at.
torneys for the defense, Singh drew a
revolver and turned it against his fol,
low defendant, Ram Chandra, the lat.
ter falling dead with a bullet through
his brain.
Deputy Acted Promptly
Quick as a fash. 1Ieputy Umted
States Marshal Holohan opcued fire
upon the murderer, dropping him dead
while wifi Els smoking gun be held
the other Hindus in their seats.
There was q tumult and panic in
the courtroom, spectators scramhlng
to escape from possible further shoot
ing, the jurymen scattering and the
court attendants dashing in to assist
Holohan should there b, further efforts
to add to the panic on the part Of the
surviving defendants.
Judge Van Fleet. who was in his
ho haR yhan tho uhnnk.nr al
hurried back to the courtroom, and
quelled the wild disorder, ordering the
room cleared. When order was rest ored
and the bodies of the two dead dr
PENDANTS removed, the trial was r."
sumed, with an army guard present tc
preserve order.
Chandra a Traitor
In the course Of the testimony il
had developed that Ram Chandra haL
diverted funds collected for the pur
pose Of furthering the revolution anc
had used these TO fatten his own in
come. This revelation had turned his
fellow defendants among the Hindus
against him and feeling against the
editor had been running high. Singh
is believed to have struggled the re
volver into court for the purpose Of
! assassinating the one he believed t.
| have been q traitor to the Hindu revo
lutionary cause.
Judge Van Fleet Charge
In his instructions TO the jury, Judg,
Van Fleet told the jurymen that they
could convict or discharge any or al
of the defendants, and that the gull
or innocence Of any one or any mum
Der of them should not affect the YER
diets as affecting the otherE The
fact that the Hindus may or may no
have been assisted by Germany il
immaterial to the particular Offense o.
which the defendants are charged an,
evidence Of German completely Shout,
not affect the decision of the jurors
the offense charged being that o
| violating the neutrality of the Unite
States at time when it was not al
war with Germany or acting as al
ally of the British.
The judge passed over the instruc
tions that dealt particularly with tn,
two defendants who had been shot
down in the courtroom during the aft
ernoon.
World as a Stage
The socalled Hindu conspiracy eas'
had the world for its stage. 1t brough
to light a movement which admittedly
was active simultaneously in many
world capitals TO overthrow British
rule in the Puhjab, and TO extend revo
lutionary control until it should incIud,
every principalitY IN the vast 1ndim
empire. The government of the Unite,
States acted because it was allege'
that American soil was being used Il
set up a military expedition agains
a friendly Power, and this was til,
specific charge against the defendants
Of whom there we're more than thirty
The case was more an airing Of sew
eral separate conspiracieS than de
failing of one specific plot.
The prosecution brought in the name
of many noted men as principals
agents, or confdants in these nlleger
cOnspiracies. Count Won Bernstorff
former German ambassador to the Unit