Evening star., 1944-06-30
Three Witnesses Describe
Activities of Bund;
LouehIin Fined $500
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

| OF Lne OrganlZaClOn mace 70 A1ermdn
ships touching at San Pedro. They
testified to visits of American blue
jackets and members of the State
militia to bund headquarters.
The % defendants, only a few of
them bundists, are charged with con-
spring to lower the morale of the
armed forces and incite mutiny.
A fourth California witness will
take the stand when the trial is
resumed Wednesday.
The case was recessed late yester.
day, after the jury had been ex-
cused, on an episode which has re-
CURED often during the II weeks of
the tria-the imposition Of a fine
on defense attorney for contempt
of court. =
Another Contempt Fine.
Chief Justice Edward c. Eicher
imposed 5000 penaltt on James j.
Laughlin, representing Robert Noble
and Edward James Smythe. Mr..
Laughlin was held in contempt for
the manner in which he cross ex-
amined William A. Brockhacker,
who joined the Bund as an under
cover investigator. The attorney
persisted in attempting, in various
ways, to 60 into matters which the
court had ruled out.
Once, angered, Justice Eicher
banged the gavel and warned Mr..
Laughlin to drop the subject and
proceed with other phases of the
cross-examination. The attorney
excepted to the courts ruling and
added: And want an exception
to the gavel."
Asks Testimony Be Stricken.
When Mr.. Bockhacker was ex-
cused, Ben Lindas, counsel for
George Sylvester viereck, German
American author and publicist,
moved that all the testimony of
this witness be stricken from the
record.
Mr.. Lindas pointed out that docu-
mentst identified by Mr.. Bockhacker
and the two previous witnesses. and
conversations with defendants to
which they: testified, were concerned
largely with an alleged campaign OF
anti-Semitisnd. He added that his
client never had practiced' or been
accused Of anti-semitism,
my client has written many
books" said Mr.. Lindas. I'VE are
forced to sit here and listen while
the Government reads these docu-
ments to the, jury. They have nc
bearing on the specific charge fol
which I thought the defendants were
being tried. If I try, when my turr
comes, to introduce any of Mr.
viereck's writings to show he is not
against the Jews, the Government
will object Immediately that those
are self-serving declarations anc
they probably will be ruled out.
am shackled hand and foot
Attorneys for several other de-
PENDANTS joined in the motion. JUS
tice Eicher denied it.
Fought Nazis in Munich.
Mr.. Brockhacker said he was born
In this country, but was taken to
Germany when he was years old
and remained there until after the
last war, When he returned to the
United States. He fought against
the Communist coup on the streets
OF Munich in 1919, he testified.
Il was fighting" he explained
ito protect my parents and my
home"
The witness said he was paid S35
a week for two years, between 1898
and 1910, to investigate the Bund in
Los Angeles. The payments were
made by Leon A. Lewis, an attorney
10 whom he reported, he said
Copies of his reports went to the
FB1 and the sheriff's Office in Los
Angeles, he added.
Mr.. Bockhacker described Mr.
Lewis as former Army Intelligence
officer.
Don't you know" asked Maxi.
milan st. George of defense coun.
sci, that he also was a member OF
the Authorization League OF
B'nai B'rith?"
No. don't know that" said the
witness.
Did you ever do any work for the
Soviet OGPU of the Russian Con-
sulate in San Francisco?" asked J.
Austin Latimer, defense attorney.
mo, I did not"
The direct testimony of this wit
ness centered about alleged inf1am-
matory statements by Herman Max
SchWlnn, West Coast Bund leader.
a defendant. Two other defendants.
Hans Diebel and Franz K. Forenz'
Las Angeles Bundists, were brought
| in briefly.