The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1918-05-03
PRISON BARS FOR
29 TOOLS OF HUN
German Conspirators SEN
fenced By Judge In
San Francisco.

San Francisco, April 3O.-One
lurid chapter in the history of Ger
many's intrigue to win mastery Of the
world was closed to-day when United
States District Judge William C. Van
Fleet pronounced sentence upon
Twenty-Five Germans, Americans and
Hindus, convicted of having conspired
to overthrow British rule in India.
The trial of the principals in the
worldwide conspiracy was a series
of sensations, including exposes of
criminal German diplomacy and the
shooting to death of two Hindu de-
fendents in the courtroom a week
ago
| The total of the prison terms i'm
posed was twenty-three and two-third
years and the fines totaled $4,000.
Louis T, Hengstler, San Francisco
admiralty lawyer, was the only de-
PENDENT to escape a prison sentence.
Judge Van Fleet RENTED a jail term
OF four months after Hengstier made
plea to the court, asserting his
Americanism and denouncing German
Imperialism. A fine of $4,000 re-
manned against him.
Cats Paws OF Prussia.
Guilt for the conspiracy was placed
squarely on the German supreme
command, Judge Van Fleet character
izing the Hindu conspirators as mere
cats paws of the ruthless Prussian
military system" He told them that
had their revolution succeeded and
they had been placed under such a
system they would have spared no
effort to escape it.
The German foreign office, embassy
at Washington and consulate at San
Francisco were the nerve centers for
the worldwide plot to wrest India
from England. Judge Van Fleet de-
clared in sentencing Franz Bopp, Will
helm Won Brincken and E.von Setback,
the heads of the consulate. BOpp and
Won Setback were given the maximum
sentences provided by the laws for
violating neutrality, two years i'm
prisonment and a $4,000 fine each.
Won Brincken was sentenced to serve
two years, this sentence to run con-
currently with a similar judgment
hanging over him as a result of his
conviction for participation in bomb
and dynamiting plots against the gov
eminent in Canada.
Judge Van Fleet indicated that no
action would be taken to deport the
Hindu defendants in the event they
refrain from revolutionary actions
after completing their prison terms.
SeditiOn Continues.
Unusual precautions were taken to-
day because of the tragedy Of last
Tuesday when Ram Singh, a defend
ant, shot and killed Ram Chandra,
another defendant, and was in turn
shot dead by United States Marshal
James B. Holohan. All spectators
were searched for weapons and the
military guard which had been in at
tendance throughout the trial was
increased. The Hindu defendants
were subject to three separate exam
nations of their clothing.
1.-THE people of this country are
taking the law into their own hands,
much as we regret it," Judge Van
Fleet said, in warning the Hindus not
to return to their propaganda activi-
ties when they are freed from prison.
This country will not stand for any
activities of this sort, directed against
either herself or her allies"
The judges statement followed a
declaration by John w. Preston,
United States district attorney, that
the Hindus in this city still have two
presses turning out barrels and bales
of seditious literature every day"