Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-24
Hindu Conspirator Kills
Co-Defendant in Court;
in Turn Is Slain by Officer

SAN FRANCISCO, April 24.-Public
interest in the trial Of the Hindus was
increased by dramatic incident in the
courtroom yesterday, when Ram Singh.
Hindu defendant. shot and killed
Ram Chandra, a co-defendant. Ram
Singh was in turn killed by bullet
from the revolver Of United States
Marshal James B. Holohan, who fred
over the heads of the panic-stricken
crowd that was fling from the court
room Just prior to the noon recess.
Ram chandra was editor Of Hindu
stan Chadre (Revolution).
The shooting was the result of a
feud among rival factions of the Hindu
defendants, federal authorities said.
and the dislike that existed between
Ram Chandra and Ram Singh had been
heightened by a controversy over a
parcel Of land in Canada owned by
Singh.
Belief that Ram Chandra had divert
ed to his own use proceeds from prop
erty which Ram Singh had turned over
for use in the proposed revolution is
said by federal officials to have prompt
ed the shooting.
Trial Marked by Excitement.
The trial since the opening has
seethed with excitement and animosity
among the defendants to such an extent
daily when entering court.
The United States district attorney,
John W. Preston, had finished his clos
ing argument, which Mrs. Preston was
present to hear. Just before the shoot
ing Judge William c. Van Fleet, an
nouncing that he would charge the jury
in the afternoon. had left the bench
and entered the chambers. and specta-
room. At one side Of the bar sat the
defendants. clustered together, and at
the opposite side. by the jury box,
Marshal Holohan watched proceedings.
Ram Chandra rose and started across
the room. Ram Singh also rose, raised
his pistol and began firing. Ram Chan
dra staggered forward and fell dead be-
fore the witness chair with a bullet in
his heart and two others in his body.
At the same moment Ram Singh fell.
shot once with his arm high over his
head. so that the bullet could clear
nearby counsel. The shot broke Ram
Singh's neck.
Soldiers Block the Exits.
Soldiers who have been on duty in
court since the trial opened Immediate
hurried back into court, ordered all de-
PENDANTS taken into custody and the
courtroom cleared. Then he began an
Investigation. which developed. he said
Ram Singh had obtained his weapon
in the course Of a brief recess in the
morning session, when he had wandered
out into the corridor for a moment.
including the possibility that other de-
PENDANTS knew in advance that the
shooting was to occur. Santokh Singh,
defendant. was isolated from the
others and Intercepted. At the aft
ernoon session of court he was sur
rounded by deputy marshals Every
scrap of paper used by the defendants
for the incessant notes which they pass
around and tore up was sought and
At singh's first shot the courtroom
was thrown into confusion. Spectators,
defendants. counsel and others in the
room darted for cover. overturning
chairs and tables in their flight.
to all exits with drawn revolEers.
Order was soon restored.
The double shooting was tho first in a
San Francisco courtroom since Fran
during one Of the graft trials ten years
ago. Heney was acting as special
prosecutor at the time.
chandra Widely Known.
Ram chandra was perhaps the most
WIDELY known Hindu in America after
the departure OF his associate, Har
Dyal. who jumped bail here when ar
rested on charges Of violating neu-
traltty and fed to Switzerland. Chandra
got all the news he wanted for his
paper from India, and said he did it
through copies Of the Koran, marked
peculiarly. Native censors would not
touch these books, he said. and appar-
emily nobody else understood the sys-
TEN.
Chandra was thirty-four years old
and was born in Peshawur. in tho
Punjab. He was educated in British
Indian schools and did some newspaper
work In India until 1907. when he was
arrested for sedition. After six months
in Jail he was liberated for lack Of
evidence. but subsequently was ar
rested and released four times Many
compatriots at the same time were
either hanged or Imprisoned for life.
From India, Chandra went to japan
and then to Eeatt1s. wash. whore he
remained = year and met Har Dyal.
He arrived here IN 1914 and started
his paper. Chair. In 1917 ha was re-
ported to have been deposed as editor.
1 S.Sk =. -