Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-01-22
VICTOR BERGER AND
FOUR FOUND GUILTY
u. S. Jury Hits Socialists as Aids
of Enemy.
ALL FACE PRISON SENTENCE
Finding Bars Milwaukee Politician
Publisher From Congress-Defend-
ants Released Under $4,000
Bonds Each Pending Mo-
tion for New Trial.

Chicago, Jan. 9.-Victor L. Berger,
Milwaukee politician-publisher and
the only Socialist elected last fall to
the Sixty-siXth congress, and four 9TH
er national leaders of the Socialist
party, were found guilty of sedition
and disloyalty under the espionage
act by jury in Judge Lands court.
Berger's conviction bars him from,
congress.
Those convicted with Berger for OBJ
structing the nations war program
against Germany and now facing SEN,
fences from one to twenty years in
federal prison, fines from $1,000 to
$4,000, or both, are:
Adolph Germer, national secretary
of the Socialist party.
William F. Kruse national secre-
tary of the Young Peoples Socialist
party-the 'Ypsels"
]. Louis Engdahl, editor of the
American Socialist and a party leader.
Irwin st. John Tucker, Protestant
Episcopalian rector, former newspa-
per man. and red" propagandist
Sentence Is Withheld.
The five defendants were released
under $4,000 bonds each pending
hearing OF a motion for a new trial
on January %. Sentence was with
held by Judge Lands until that time.
The verdict-a sweeping victory for
the government in it's fight against the
''red flag and the seditious propa-
gandists-came as q terrific blow to
the defendants. They had confidently
believed that the five weeks of radical
preaching" given before the jury had
converted at least one. None, save.
Berger, had counted upon an acquit-
tai, but all had believed a chung
jury" would result.
While out from II a. m. until :43
p. M, the jury took but three ballots.
The first stood 10 to for conviction,
the second IL to 1, and the third was
unanimous guilty"
The courtroom was jammed with
Socialists, I. w. W., boIsheviki and
every division coming under the ''red
flag" when the jury made its finding
With all business suspended in the
federal building in honor of Theodore
Roosevelt during the afternoon, they
had packed the corridors.
AS soon as Bailiff Joseph Buckner,
in charge of the Jury, appeared and
announced a verdict a squad of plain
clothes men and deputy marshals took
possession. They scattered through
out the courtroom prepared to meet
any demonstration But none oc-
Cured Even the most radical of the
radicals in that place of justice seemed
stunned.
Berger appeared almost lifeless as
he sat, his huge hulk crunched up in a
chair behind his array of counsel He
seemed more deeply moved than the
others, tears streaming down on his
cheeks. He did not look up even when
Joseph O'Sullivan, the court clerk,
polled the jury, each member Of that
body arising in answer to his name
and voicing the judgment guilty"
Judge Lands made no comment on
the verdict, combining himself to mere
ly thanking the II men for their long
services in the jury box.
Berger Makes Brief Statement
After the jurors had filed back to
their room Berger was surrounded by
his wife, two daughters and a score of
women The other defendants nervous
ly wandered about the room while
their counsel were making the usual
formal motions and arranging for their
release on previous bonds. The now
deposed congressman-elect, the only
Socialist to survive in last falls cleo
lions and who now also goes into OBJ
livion, finally aroused himself.
Somewhat shakily, his emotion great
ly accentuating his broad German ac-
cent, he said:
81 am completely surprised. / am
no more guilty of this crime than the
judge on the bench. | have lived in ac-
cordance with these principles for
81 years, and now 1 must suffer for
them"
United States Attorney Charles F.
Clyne, who with his first assistant, Jo-
seph B. Fleming, directed the prosecu-
ton, declared:
''This verdict is but Americas voice
speaking. 1t is a verdict of this coun-
try's people. 1t is a death-blow to
bolshevism, which these five advo-
Gated, and TO the red flag This jury
has said that there can be but one
flag in this country, the red, white and
blue, and that those who are not with
this country are against it.
IF ever a case of sedition was pre-
sented in a courtroom, this was it.
These men left nothing undone to OBJ
struct our government in winning the
war and to aid Germany. There is
no surprise in the verdict. 1t couldn't
have been anything else