The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-03
HINDU DECLARES
CRIMINAL TRIAL
IS BIG TRAVESTY
After Year in Prison Charged
With Neutrality 0ffense
BhagWan Singh breads to
Return to Native Land.

NEW YORK, Oct. 3.-Bhagwar
Singh, a Hindu revolutionary refugee
from India, who has just finished sery-
ing an IL months sentence at Mcneil
Island penitentiary, Wash, for violation
Of our neutrality laws, Is making a
fight against being deported.
Upon his release Singh, with several
other Hindu advocates of free India
were retained for deportation and held
In $4,000 bail, which was furnished
They charge that this action was taken
at the request OF the British authorities
and that they have not violated our
immigration laws and therefore can not
be deported as public charges.
According to Singh, If he and his
comrades are deported to India they
will be obliged to force British firing
squad because Of their propaganda In
behalf Of self-government of their ma
tive land. 1t Is claimed that political
refugees from other countries have al
ways been given asylum here, and that
they are being Disseminated against In
behalf Of England.
May Appeal TO President.
Singh, who Is in New York now, will
60 to Washington and try to see Sec
rotary of Labor William Il, Wilson to
protest to him against being deported
He will alsostry to pee Secretary Tum-
uity anu Eet the NY oi IIesiueHt WIZ
son In behalf Of himself and his COM
panions here. y&.
A statement issued by the Friends
Of Freedom for India, which has head
quarters at No, I East 18th street. says
that these Hindus have not sinned
against our country, and II they have
they have atoned for 1t by serving their
terms In prison. They admit that they
want to see an end to British rule in
India, but deny that they ever attempt
ed to interfere with or do harm to the
United States.
Born in Punjab, India, So years ago,
Singh at an early age was forced to
take refuge in other lands on account
OF his revolutionary activities among
young Hindus. He came to Canada,
whore he worked among the men of
his race. Because of his lectures he
was deported from Canada in 1918, and
after travelling throughout the Orient
entered the United States In October,
1915.
Singh was arrested in 1917 and in
dicted and in due time convicted Of
violating our neutrality laws, which
prohibit the fomenting OF revolutions Or
setting on foot military expeditions
against countries at which we are net
at war.
Hearing Wasn't Fair.
Here IL what SlnBn mas 10 say ABOUT
his case:
"The British secret service brought
over many men under guard to tes-
tify against me, One man refused to
say anything against me Still another
witness refused to do the same, but
the interpreter translated his remarks
wrongly Both were men OF my own
race. but had never been active in revo-
lutionary propaganda,
II, myself, while still In prison as the
result of testimony like this was forced
to have u hearing before the immigra-
ton authorities deprived me of free
communication, | could not CONSULT pri-
vately even lawyer or my counsel
THUS, while one set of authorities
refused me, by prison rules, the right
to present evidence another set of au-
thorities demanded evidence and con-
Quoted my hearing without my side OF
the case,