New-York tribune., 1918-02-15
Verdict of Acquittal of
Treason Given by Jury in
Four Minutes
Judge Aids in
Vindication
Bliss Co. Foreman Thanks
Court as "Faithful
American"

Paul Hennig, the first American cit
izen to be brought to trial on the
charge of treason since the Civil War
was acquitted yesterday in the United
States District Court in Brooklyn. He
was acquitted upon the motion OF
United States Attorney Melville j.
France, his prosecutor. and Judge
Chatheld, by turning the case over to
the jury on a question Of fact, made
Hennigs vindication as complete as
court procedure permits.
For three weeks Tennig, a foreman
in the f. ". Bliss Company plant, had
been on trial, charged with crime
the penalty for whish might have been
shameful death. 1t took the jury just
four minutes to render verdict.
Hennig collapsed when Irving
Looney. foreman Of the jury, pro-
nounced the words "Not guilty" When
nc had collected himself Judge Chat
field was speaking.
Advice From the Court
"Tn discharging you" he said. az
want to say that you viii. prove your
manhood and prove your good citizen
ship by looking at this thing from the
standpoint from which the jury have
looked at it and from which the Dis
ty'ct Attorney has looked at it. and
et b. going out OF the courtroom
4 tho idea that you are against
.eEy ono or that every one IS against
YOU | think your future will show
that people will not be against you,
but feel that it is proper, in a case
Of this gravity, a matter which has
been as serious as this has to you. to
caution you against carrying feelings
charge was over your head. You may
60"
81 thank you as faithful American
citizen" responded Henng, and de-
parted to seek his wife aud Theodore
Roosevelt IIennig, aged eight. and two
other youngsters i'll Ozone Park,
Queens.
The case was near its end. Arthur
X Wing, counsel for 1lennig, was sum-
ming up his case when Mr.. France IN
terrupted.
l
fore we proceed further | have a mo-
ton to make. Before making that mo-
tion / want to say one or two things.
Your honor has ruled that there is a
question of fact in this case which can
be submitted to tho jury. ] want to
say that I have carefully and most
thouehtfully considered the evidence
as offered by the defence in this action,
and at its conclusion ! have found my
self in very troubled state Of mind.
Could Not Ask Conviction
'I could pass the burden of deter
mining the issue in this case to the
jury, but ! believe, as Il public prose-
cutor with true sense Of his duty to
the government and TO the people Of
this community, that | should make a
decision where my conscience so die
tates. In arriving at this conclusion |
do it without any Impeachment of the
evidence Of the witnesses who have
been produced here by the prosecution.
| do not believe-I know that / could
not argue with conviction nor with cor
science for verdict of guilty against
this defendant"
Judge ChattieId said there was still
an issue of fact inasmuch as tho jury
had heard the testimony of all the wit
nesses and weighed it and the case
|
and leave the matter as not proven"
In referring the case to the jury he de-
clared that the United States would
suffer much greater injury from the
unjust conviction of an individual than
from the Vaccinations of real, but un-
discovered traitors and an injury much
greater than would be the possible ben
eft of a conviction as a deterrent to
such crimes.
of the District Attorney to reach the
conclusion he did" said Judge Chat
field, than it would to sum UP any
case, no matter how certain he might
be that the result was going against
him"
Charge Against Hennig
Hennigs trial began on January "a
He was accused, when arrested on De
tember 20. of tampering with parts of
torpedoes in such a way as to render
the missiles harmless to the opposing
ship and possibly a menace to the ship
whence they were discharged. When
the trial opened :hat count was with
drawn and it was alleged simply that
he had passed defective parts as per-
feet.
When a receipt for parts bearing
llorng's signature was introduced in
NN"NN Vtt " tuiieSuay lilc uclcnuant
interrupted the proceedings with a pro-
test that certain items on it had been
introduced above his signature without
his knowledge. Yesterday Edward F.
Name, an assistant foreman at the
plant, admitted that he had written the
figures in question on the receipt.
iennig has been eleven years in the
united States and became a citizen six
months before the United States en-
tered the war. lie was employed by
the T. w Rise Co,,n,,,, ,,il' a. y