Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-15
Won CRAMM GETS
SENTENCE OF YEAR.
Net Star Is Sentenced on
Morals Charge After
3.Hour Trial.
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
BERLIN. May l4.-Baron Gottried
Won Cramm. the worlds No. 2 ANA
telr tennis player, was convicted OF
immortality today in q secret three
hour trial and sentenced to one year
in prison.
A jury In Moabit Criminal Court
found him guilty of improper rela-
tions with an 18-year-old Galician
Jew, Manasse Herbst.
Won Cramm denied that he knew
Herbst was Jew. Neither court nor
attorneys dwelt on this point, but in
many Nazi trials defendants plead Il
did not know he Cor she) was Jewish"
or he said he was Aryan" to counter
act the Mani attitude that relations
with Jew aggravate an ohense.
German sport circles saw the COM
plete ruin Of their 28-year-old aces
career.
Benefits From Confession.
His name in German tennis, how
ever, was recognized by the presiding
Judge, along with his youth and frank
and earnest confession Of guilt" as
extenuating circumstances in the case
The jury overrllled the state prose-
eutor's demand for an 18-month Jail
term by deciding on a one-year SEN
tence and deduction Of the two months
the baron spent in Jail during the in
vestigation Of the case.
Won Cramm. who have been ranked
among the worlds first 10 amateur
tennis players since 1888. was arrest
ed March S and the investigation
started March 81.
The charge against him was Of con-
tinued violation during 1856 Of sec
ton ITS Of the criminal code, which
makes homosexuality punishable.
Public Is Excluded.
On the request of Won Cramm's at
torney. DR.. Karl Langbehn, the pub
Lie and press were excluded from the
court during the proceedings, but We're
readmitted for the verdict and the
reading Of the opinion.
Won Cramm TODD up as the verdict
was pronounced, his head bowed, and
then was taken to Moabit Jail, where
he Is to remain for 10 months.
The jury held the baron's associa-
ton with the Galician Jew, who
smigrated to Jerusalem March IS,
1895. was grave and severely incrim-
mating evidence. especially in light OF
the Roehm affair" of June, 1884.
Capt. Ernst Roehm, chief Of stan
OF the storm troops, was among those
killed in Hitlers sweeping blood
purge" which began June 80, 1884.
Capt. Roehn was charged with plot
ting against Hitler and of indulging in
Immoral orgies.
The court opinion disclosed that
Herbst had blackmailed Won Cramm
for between $s.ooo-sl2, 900.
Baron Won Cramrn, ranked No. 2
tennis player in the world in 1895 and
1887, won the French singles cham
pionship in 1884 and 1896.
He lost to Americas Donald Bulge
IN three important matches last year
and with Henner Henkel won the
United States doubles championship
Last summer at Brookline, Mass
Bulge beat him in straight sets in
the British championship final at
Wimbledon.
Then. in the interzone Davis Cup
finals between the United States and
Germany, they met again in the de-
Gliding match Of the series. Bulge
won. 6-8, 81, 6N, 60, SIS, in
what experts said was the greatest
tennis match ever played.
Won Cramm then came to the United
States with Henkel and won the Amer
loan doubles title in an upset victory
over the American Davis Cup doubles
team Of Bulge and Gene Mako
Later, in the United States national
singles at Forest Hills, Long Island,
he lost for the third time to Bulge in
Q hve-Set match.