New-York tribune., 1919-03-29
Benjamin Classberg's Trial
Is Begun Before Board of
Education ON Charges
of Defending Bolshevism
Enters Plea of Not Guilty
Pupil Says Instructor Told
Class That Truth About
Russia Was Suppressed

The trial of Benjamin Glassberg, for
ferly teacher OF history in the Com
mercial High School, Brooklyn, who
was suspended on charges of having
defended the Bolsheviki to his pupils,
i snd with saying in answer to pupils
question that the red flag could ain
sense" be placed above the American
aae, was oegun yesterday afternoon
before the Board of Education.
Glassbcrg was charged by Edward
Navcr, the Assistant Corporation Coun-
sci. who represented the board, with
having stated on January IA last to
class of his pupils that the United
States government was suppressing
true reports about the Bolsheviki, and
that ii the truth were permitted it
would be found the Bolsheviki were
not 80 bad as painted
He was charged with having said
that returning officers of the American
Red Cross mission in Russia had been
forbidden by the State Department to
talk about what they had seen in Rus
sia. and that the ending of the war be-
tween the Entente Powers and the Ger
man allies really had been brought
about by the representatives of Lenine
and Trotzky in Berlin, by means Of
propaganda literature.
Glassberg Pleads Not Guilty
Mr.. Mayer further charged Glass
berg with having said in answer to a
question by one of his pupils, George
j. Mack. concerning a news item in
The New York Tribune about the red
flag, that it could, i'll sense, be placed
above the flag of this country.
Glassberg, through his lawyer, Gill
bert L. Roe. the former law partner of
Senator Robert NJ La Toilette, pleaded
not guilty to all charges.
Edgar Grimmel, fifteen years old, Of
1929 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, was
called by the prosecution, and testified
he had been a pupil in Mr.. Glassberg's s
history class
"One OF the pupils" said Grimmel,
"said that Bolshevism must be good
thing. because it is still going on and
the Kerensky government is not. Mr..
Glassberg agreed to this and said it
was good thing. He went on to say
that a lot of people had the wrong
idea of the Bolsheviki and if the truth
we're told we would find they were not
so bad"
"He told u.s." continued Grimmel,
"that he was not talking to us as a
school teacher, but as private citizen.
He said that the newspapers were
printing lies about them (the Bolshe
viki) and the United States was sup
pressing the truth. He told us about
Major Thatcher, of the Red Cross, who,
he said, had come back from Russia,
but was not permitted to tell what he
saw"
Doubted Glassberg's Loyalty
"What IMPRESSION asked Mr.
Mayor, did Mr.. Glassberg's statements
have on your mind ,"
His statements" answered Grimmel,
gave me an impression that Mr.. Glass
berg did not like the United States
government, and that he wasn't sort
of altogether true to the government.
Mr. Roe elected from the witness
the manner in which the authorities be
came acquainted with Glassberg's re-
marks to his class. Grimmel said
Calvin Y. kemble, an English teacher,
had attacked the Bolsheviki the next
morning, and when several of the boys
got up to defend it he asked who was
telling them about the Bolsheviki.
Grimmel said he told Mr.. Kemble
who i was, and Mr.. kemble asked him
to point out an American boy in the
class.
Weren't you all Americans?" asked
Mr. Roe.
Eyes sir" answered Grimmel "but
quite few were becoming Bolsheviki."
In answer to a number of questions by
Nr Roe, Grmmcl told of signing one
general statement, with twelve other
pupils, which charged Glassberg with
the statements he is being tried for
making.
Boys Recollection Shaken
Ar. Roe succeeded several times in
shaking the recollection of the wit
classroom on the date Glassburg is
charged with having made the state
ments attributed to him.
Crimmel had said the discussion had
taken some thirty minutes and that
very little work was done. Mr.. Roe
showed him a paper and asked him
whether he had written it. Grimmel
answered in the affirmative
Then Mr.. Roe put the question to
nm whether it was not true that he
mad written the paper during that pc
nod IN answer to several examination
questions. Grimmel would not say he
wrote the paper on that day, although
ne was ready to admit that he wrote it.
Martin Carol, of 326 Bergen Street,
another of Mr.. Glassberg's pupils,
testified in subs tance TO what Grimmel
mad said had taken place in the room.
Dir Roe brought out that Carols
recollection of what had taken place
was not accurate.
What IMPRESSION" asked Mr.. Roe,
did Ar. Glassberg's statement make
on you?"
ut changed my mind" answered
sarrol, "from the United States to
russia, and gave me the opinion that
me Bolsheviki was good thing"
DO you still believe what Mr.. Glass
Derg sald:" asked Mr.. Roe.
Yes, he's my history teacher" an
swered Carol.
:, Martin, are you Bolshcvik?" said
ar Roe with a smile.
no, sir." answered Carol def
How long did your liking for the
Selsheyiki lagt?" Mr. Roe asked
anos very long," replied Carol.
Iou kncw the Bolsheyiki we're not
: good thing all the time, didn't you ?"
eaeried Mr.. Roe.
,eii es, SIR answered Carol.
ne trial war adjourned until next
friday az 3 O'Clock.
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Z Wreck Jurics Rejected
"A