Evening star., 1938-11-30
By the Associated Press.

German Ddr ministry spies, 10
escaped the country.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Nov. 30.-A Federal
fury which convicted man and
woman of conspiracy to steal United
States military secrets for Germany
today considered recommendation
Of clemency-or perhaps acquittal-
for third alleged Nazi spy.
The jury later called for a re-
reading of testimony by Erich
CHASER. %. the third defendant,
about whom they were unable to
agree.
The jury also asked to see letters
written by CHASER, former United
States Army Air Corps private, to
Guenther Gustav Rumrich, 80, con-
fessed German agent. who testified
against him.
unaided by the German war min
istry officials she was charged with
serving. titian-tressed. 26-year-old
Fraulein Johanna Hofmann went
back to her Jail cell weeping to
await a possible maximum sentence
Of 20 years.
Convicted with her was Otto Her.
mann Voss, German-born mechanic,
who was seized In a strategic Long
Island airplane factory last Feb
ruary and indicted with Fraulein
Hofmann and Is others, including
four German military officers.
Shortly after the jury announced
its verdict. following hours and Is
minutes of deliberation, George G.
Dix, attorney for Miss Hofmann,
declared: The Germans threw her
down"
IF Hitler would send us the
money" he added dryly, I'VE would
appeal"
Chaser May Rest Case.
Counsel for Erich Chaser, Ger
man-born private at the Mitchell
Field Army air base and the third
defendant on trial, indicated that
lack of funds would force him. also,
to rest his case solely with the Dis
trict Court jury.
An hour before it answered the
appeal of United States Attorney
Lamar Hardy to cut Germany's
Zines of communication in this
country by convicting Miss Hoffman
and Voss. the jury inquired last
night if it could recommend mercy
for the defendants.
Judge John C. Knox told the 10
men and two women, You must
find the defendants guilty or not
guilty. and If you find some guilty
and wish to add a recommendation
of mercy, I shall be glad to receive
It,"
When the jury returned with a
fiat verdict of conviction without
recommendation for two of the de-
PENDANTS, possible clemency for
Chaser was indicated when its de-
liberations were resumed today 90
am. E. S. T).
Rumrich Awaits Sentence.
Awaiting sentence with Miss Hoff-
man and Voss today was Guenther
Gustav Rumrich, Chicago-born.
German bred deserted Army SER
geant, whose arrest led to a round
up of suspected German agents He
pleaded guilty at the opening of the
trial and turned informer, impli-
eating the other three defendants in
a tale of mal-order spying that
caused defense lawyers to scott at
him as psychopathic romancer.
Two others indicted in the case
DR.. Ignatz r Griebl. former Amer
ican Nazi fuehrer. and Werner G..
Gutenberg, Buffalo airplane me-
chanic-f1ed to Germany. Twelve
other defendants, including four
German military officers, were be-
yond reach of United States au-
thority.
The case drew the close scrutiny
Of President Roosevelt and involved
investigation by United States
agents abroad.
Part of Nazi System.
During the seven-Week trial, the
Government sought to show that
the defendants we're part of far
flung system maintained by the
German intelligence service to steal
vital military defense plans Of other
nations.
United States Attorney Hardy ad-
mitted those on trial were obscure"
compared to the real heads of the
international spy network, but in
his summation warned the jury:
I'm their obscurity lies their value.
1t is up to you to decide whether
the link in this chain shall be
broken"
Judge Knox said he believed
Rumrich, the Governments key wit
ness, was IAN unmitigated liar" in
several phases of his testimony. He
told the jurors to examine his story
with the utmost discrimination"
Planned New Forgeries.
Rumrich said he and his fellow
conspirators were under particular
instructions to obtain United States
industrial as well as military secrets
Fraulein Hofmann, he said, served
as messenger and liaison agent for
the ring.
The espionage syndicate at one
time considered kidnapping COL
Henry E. T. Eglin. commandant of
Fort Totten, Rumrich testified, in
the hope of gaining from him At
lantic Coast mobilization defense
plans.
He said it was also planned to
forge President Roosevelt's sigma
ture on bogus White House station
cry to obtain possession of secret
specifications of the Navy's new air.
craft carriers.
The defense denounced Rumrich
as "beermug dreamer" and accused
Leon G. Turrou, former Federal
agent who directed the Govern
ment's espionage inquiry, of franz
ing" the whole case.
A. 6. Beach Retires
From Lond Office Post