Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-06
Franz v0Il Rhlte|en
 Gu uItyof Conspiracy
TO DEsTRoy FOOD AND MuNi-
 TONS SHIPS
TEN OTHERS CONVICTED
Maximum Penalty of IS Months inl Federal Penetentiary and . Fine Of s2,ooo on Each Of the Prisoners was lmposed.

New York, Feb 5.-Franz von Rim telen, German naval officer and a re- puted member of the German war staff. was found guilty with ten other defendants in federal court here to- day of conspiracy to destroy food and munitions ships of the entente allies by placing fire bombs in their car goes. Judge Howe immediately ir1- posed the maximum penalty of eight cen months Imprisonment in the fed- eral penitenfiary at Atlanta and fine of s2.ooO on each of the prisoners. Judge Regrets Penalty Is So Light.
 Pleas of lack of proof, sickness, re- cent marriage and ignorance of the laws Of this country, Judge Howe said, twill not influence this court in Imposing sentence. These men have been found guilty by an impartial jury of American citizens and the crime calls for the severest pensity. I re- gret that it is not more severe.
 In instances where the defendants are now serving sentences under pre- vious convictions, the present penalty will take effect when the term of the first punishment expires This ap- plies to Von Rintelen. who was cons victed last spring of conspiracy to cause strikes in munitions plants and was given two years and six months at Atlanta.
 The Others Convicted.
 Others convicted today follow: Captain Otto Wolpert, former super intendent of the Atlas Line pier, which was operated by the Hamburg
 American Steamship company. He was arrested two days after the dec- Elaration of war between the United States and Germany on suspicion of being a dangerous enemy alien. Karl Von Kleist, formerly sea captain and an American iitizen, was a partner of Dr. Walter F. Scheele in the latter's chemical plant in Hobo ken. N. J. Dr. Scheele is missing and Won Kleist is said to have aided him 1 in putting conbustibles into fire bombs
 Ernst Becker an electrician on the North German Lloyd liner Friedrich l ter Crosse who was accused of hay l ing made the bombs and carried then i to the pier of the Atlas line. He hal
 served six months on a previous con, viction.
 Frederick Wilhelm Karbade, Vii. Ihelm Parades and George Praedel, as sistant engineers on the Friedrich de ftdE0ScEfs " tt9 i4lStBCQ III H4dkl1l5 stHi bombs it was charged. and have serv led terms of six months each on preyi
 olls eosvi ictinn ftss afller bomb plots EugHnc Reister. assistant manage of the Labor LyceuIn in Brooklyn I where the eonspirafors ar ealleged t have met and was accused of having I been "go betweenn for Karl Schim mel. He is naturalized citizen. I Walter Uhde, German: and Bon ford Boniface and Joseph Zeffers l American citizens, were accused 0 Ebeing messengers and handy men fo f the arch conspira tors.
 Indicted at the same time, but no Hound by the government officers Fwere. Captain Enno Bode Dr Kar l iSehimnei Dr. Walter F, Scheele an ICaptain Gustav Steinberg.
 Another defendant Karl Schmidt
 was declared not guilty by the jur on Friday. by order of the court whe lit was found that there was not sufH lcient evidence to convict him of tn charge.