Evening star., 1944-08-01
Sedifion Jurors
Hear Defense
AssaiI Delay
St. George Protests
Reading Of PelIey
Letters by Panel
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

asSsS ~ 0ssSt
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.
The defense in the sedition case,
often accused by the Government OF
dilitary tactics, retaliated today with
the charge that the prosecution was
delaying the four-month-old trial.
Maximilian j. st. George, counsel
for Joseph E. McWilliams, protested
the procedure Of the Government in
reading excerpts from the personal
files Of William Dudley Pelley, q
defendant, and then turning q sheaf
OF letters over to the Jury to read In
full. One at time, the Jurors went
over the correspondence process
that threatened to take more than
two hours.
MIR. st. George asked that Chief
Prosecutor o. John Rogge be re-
quired to read all the letters to the
jury.
IN the interest of time" the de-
tense attorney added, 1T certainly
would be quicker than having the
jurors read them one at time"
District Chief Justice Edward c.
Eicher denied the motion.
Referred to Pelley "Jam."
Another motion which the court
was q demand by Pelley's
attorney, William j. Powers. for a
directed verdict acquitting the de-
fendant because Of q reference In
one Of the letters to Pelley's lam"
In North Carolina In 1041.
Pelley's attorney and confidant
at the time. Howard v. Broenstrupp,
also a defendant in the sedition
case, had written. q friend in New
York, signing the alias OF v.
Cherep-Spiridovich. according to
the Government:
Am down here at Noblesville
Und) aiding Pelley in getting out
of his jam in North Carolina, and
point that we will beat
the frame-up."
This, Mr.. Powers contended, was
a clear violation of Pelley's constitu-
tional rights and had prejudiced his
case beyond repair. The Govern
ment, he argued. had no right to
refer to any previous trouble OF the
defendant.
Laughlin Supplements Petition.
James J. Laughlin, former defense
attorney, filed with the Speaker OF
the House today a supplement to
his previous petition asking the i'm
peachment of Justice Eicher. Mr.,
Laughlin was ousted from the sedi-
tion case for filing the original Pc
tition.
In the supplemental document
the attorney listed his dismissal
from the trial as IAN abuse of judi
cial power" and high misdemean-
or in Office"
Mr.. Laughlin alleged that his 'un-
lawful" custer left two defendants
Robert Noble and Edward James
Smythe. without the attorney OF
their choice.
The. judge was, accused OF further
misconduct In ofnce" by conducting
a secret hearing in chambers In
volving Smythe, and another private
inquiry in front of the bench af-
fecting another defendant, Eugene
N. Sanctuary. A third star cham
Der" proceeding was required of the
defendant. Ernest F. Elmhurst, the
petition stated.
One Of the Pelley letters neve,
was mailed, Mr.. Powers told Justice
Eicher in protesting against admis-
sion Of the document.
This was letter in which Pelley
former leader of the Silver Shirts,
wrote to Maj. Gen. George Van
Horn Moseley, retired Deputy Chief
OF Staff, of plans Ito alter the course
of American history" and placed re-
lance on the general to convince
the Army personnel of the integrity
of our intentions"
Pelley's attorney said the prosecu-
ton knew this letter never was
mailed. The only testimony con-
corning 1t was the statement OF
Douglas j. williams, that he and
three other FBI agents seized IL
when they raided Pelley's home in
Indianapolis, April 4, 1912. It was
one Of a number OF letters, PAM
phlets and books admitted by Jus
tice Eicher in evidence shortly be-
fore adjournment yesterday.
Mr.. Powers brought out on cross
examination of an FBI agent that
the Moseley letter was found in Pei
ley's files with an uncancelled stamp
on the envelope. apparently un-
mailed.
Sought Roosevelt's Impeachment.
There was one letter from Cherep-
Spiridovich in which he wrote a
New York physician: I'VE are laying
the groundwork for a campaign in
the Roll Call "a Pelley publication)
urging the impeachment Of Roose-
welt, but I would like to make a Sec
ond attack or campaign urging the
medical odicer to declare him unfit
to be commander in chief OF our
land and naval forces"
Broenstrupp, who is represented
by Attorney Ira Chase Koehne. but
acts as part-time counsel for him
self, protested this exhibit, telling
the court: "1t was something we
merely discussed but did nothing
about"
Lawrence Dennis, a defendant
representing himself, was back at
the trial after 10 days absence
with his left hand bandaged in a
splint. He said that in view of the
courts refusal last Wednesday to
grant his mailed-in motion to ad-
journ the trial until he could leave
a Pittsf1eld Mass hospital, where
he was under treatment for an In
fected hand, he would move for q
severance Of his case or else q mis-
trial. Justice Eicher denied the mo-
tions.
Coffee Price Re
FewCufes Here
II Once Of Price Administration