The New York herald., 1921-07-17
GERMANS GUILTY in
LIFEBOAT MURDERS
Violated Laws of Humanity
and Admiralty, Verdict
of Leipsic Court.
SHAMED KAISER'S NAVY
Judge Makes Scathing Con-
demnatiOn of LieutS.
Dittmar and BOldt.
SENTENCED TO A YEARS
KILLED Deliberately to Conceal
Unlawful Torpedoing of
Hospital Ship
SHAMED KAISER'S NAVY
SENTENCED TO A YEARS
BIZ the 4 saocinted Press.

LEIpsIc, Germany, July 16.-German
submarine officers violated all laws
of nations and humanity and acted
contrary to equations of the German
Admiralty in firing upon the lfeboats
containing the survivors from the Ca
madam hospital ship Llandovery
Castle in 51S, after she had been sunk
by a torpedo from a German subma-
rine
This was the finding of the Leipsic
court for the trial of prisoners under
the Versailles Treaty, announced to-
day by Dr. Schmidt. president of the
Supreme Court, who said the incident
cast shame on the German navy and
the submarine war
Lieut.. Dittmar and Lieut. Boldt who
were charged with murder in the first
degree for firing on the Llandovery
Castles lifaooats We're each sentenced
to four years imprisonment. Dittmar
was ordered dismissed from the
Reichswehr defence force and Boldt
was ordered deprived of his civil
rights.
The men were sentenced for man
slaughter, not murder, on the ground
that the Officers acted on the impulse
of the moment
An excited crowd filled the courtroom.
including many women and numerous
friends of the prisoners Dr. Schmidt.
in reviewing the case against the two
Lieutenants, declared the Llandovery
Castle was torpedoed against the law
of nations.
Everything aboard was in perfect
order" he said, and. furthermore, the
sinking was against all regulations of
the German Admiralty, as the ship was
In waters where torpedoing was for
bidden
AT least three lifeboats got clear
Ihere was no reason why all could not
nave been picked up. All three must
nave been afloat when the submarine
began firing. and two of them must
have been hit
The court finds these boats were
fired on Intentionally. with the object
OF removing witnesses who could testify
to the misdeed by the submarine com
mander
The court finds that both of the ac-
cused took part in the firing and in
the effort to cover up the deed there
fore both share Commander Patzig's
responsibility Furthermore. the court
finds the officers acted on the impulse
OF the moment that the deed was not
premeditated, consequently they are not
guilty of murder. They would have
done their duty if they had refused to
obey Commander Patzig's orders to fire
on the lfeboats and would have been
justified in refusing TO comply with the
commanders demand to maintain Sc
recy.
This terrible case casts shadow
over the German navy and the whole
submarine war"
The sentence did not, however carry
hard labor with It, as demanded by the
Public Prosecutor. The case of Dittmar
and Boldt differed from the others which
had been heard by the Supreme Court
here in connection with trials growing
out of violations of the rules OF civilized
warfare inasmuch as the two Lieuten-
ants were brought to trial by the Ger
man Public Prosecutor. Great Britain
only had demanded the trial of Com
mander Patzig of the submarine which
torpedoed the Llandovery Castle. who
fed the country. The Public Prosecutor,
however. after an examination Of the
evidence, ordered that Dittmar and
Boldt be placed on trial