Evening star., 1942-07-08
Sdboteur Trial
Calls -Four Men
0fCoast Guard
Indication Is Given
8 Nuzis Will Be Kept
In Justice Building


Four members of the United
States Coast Guard, two of them
believed to have first discovered
the submarine landing of eight
Nazi saboteurs on the Atlantic
coast last month, appeared late
today before the special military
commission trying the men.
The four Coast Guardsmen. three
of them officers. were ushered into
the secret chambers of the Depart
ment Of Justice early this afternoon
There was no indication whether
they actually testified, but Justice
officials intimated they were among
the important witnesses.
AS the proceedings ran into the
late afternoon, maintenance en-
ployes of the Justice Department
began moving desks, chairs and ta-
bles from the closely guarded room
in which the eight Nazis are fighting
for their lives. This was taken as
an indication that the prisoners
would be housed in the Justice De-
partment Building throughout their
trial instead of being returned to
the District Jail, where they had
been under military guard since last
Saturday.
Statement Hint Is Given.
There were Indications too that
the secrecy which marked arrange
ments for the trial as we'll as the
first days proceedings might be
broken later in the day. An official
statement on the first days pro-
ceedings, it was intimated, may be
issued by the new Office of War
Information, headed by Elmer
Davis.
The initial session of the trial
commission lasted two hours and 40
minutes. Promptly at 1910 o'clock
Maj. Gen. Frank R. McCoy. chair
man of the commission, ordered
luncheon recess.
A few minutes later members of
the commission and defense and
prosecuting counsel headed by At
torney General Biddle emerged from
the trial boardroom and they were
surrounded by newspaper
men, but refused to disclose anv of
the morning proceedings.
Mr.. Biddle told reporters he was
unable to say anything about the
because he was under
orders from Gen. Mccoy. And. he
ADDED facetiously, you know don't
want to be court -martialed."
Apology to Reporters.
The Attorney General also apollo
glzed to. the reporters for being
unable to give them any informa-
ton.
You know" he said, this is not
our idea"
Closely trailing Mr.. Biddle and
the array of Army officers from the
court chambers were John Edgar
Hoover, director of the FBI. his
assistant, Clyde Tolson, and Assist
ant Solicitor Oscar Cox.
One of the principal witnesses at
the trial, Mrs. Gerard Melind, the
24-year-old blond from Chicago who
broke her engagement with Herbert
Haupt, one of the prisoners, when
he was arrested, was spotted bv
photographers when she left the
Justice Department for lunch and
tried to shield her face with her
hands.
An Army officer, who escorted her
to an Army car that carried her
away, also protested against the
photographers. On her return from
lunch she was again approached by
the photographers and this time she
jumped back into the car and was
taken to another entrance to the
Trial Resumed at 2 O'Clock.
The trial was resumed at o'clock,
following l-hour-and-2 20 minute
luncheon recess. Reports were cur
rent that the commission would end
its first days proceedings about 4::30.
One of the first to return to the
court chambers was FBI Director
Hoover. He was followed a few
minutes later by Attorney General
Biddle, the Army legal staff and the
seven generals composing the COM
All of those approached
by neWspapermen continued to
maintain their reticence about the
Sandwiches and coffee, prepared
in the Justice Department cafeteria,
were served the prisoners as we'll as
the soldiers guarding them during
The luncheon recess. Otherwise both
the soldiers and the eight Nazis
would have to be moved across the
city TO the District Jail for their
lunch. The commission members
ate i'll the cafeteria
Although the trial was rated
the most important in Amer
lean history, employees of the JUS
tlce Department appeared to re-
gard it as ordinary route Clerks
and others in general made no eff
fort to see the Saboteurs The few
who die try to crash" were prompt
y turned away at the outer door of
the trial chambers by uniformed
guards and FBI agents.
Special passes had been issued to
all persons entitled to admission.
Attempts by neWspapermen to get
a description of the scene in the
courtroom we're Just as
futile as their attempts to get in
formation about the proceedings.
Only one little detail was forth
coming. and that was that FBI
Chief Hoover sat beside Attorney
General Biddle, who heads up the
staff. Only this It'd
bit of information leaked out, for
every person in the courtroom had
been sworn to secrecy as the trial
opened.
The eight saboteurs were taken
rom the District Jail to the Justice
shortly before 9 am. in
tSee SABOTEURS, Pg. 6, Col. g.