Evening star., 1944-06-30
Sediiion Trial Jurors
Get 5-Day Vacation
As Case Is Recessed
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES

BY CARTER BROOKE JONES'.
Two women and II men, compos-
Ing the jury and alternates at the
sedition trial in District Court. went
home today for 5-day holiday over
the Fourth of July with vivid pic
ture of the plans and discussions of
the German American Bund as de-
scribed by three Government wit
nesses from Los Angeles.
The jurors heard from these wit
nesses, all former bundists, a COM
posite story Of how the society fol-
lowed the Nazi party line and spread
propaganda favorable to q National
Socialist state In this country. The
Witnesses told Of drills and rife prac-
tice by the bund uniformed group
%. d., and Of visits which officers
Of the organization made to German
ships touching ut San Pedro. They
testified to visits Of American blue
jackets and members of the State
militia to bund headquarters.
The ~ defendants, only q few Of
them bundists. are charged with con-
spiring 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 trial-the imposition of fine
on defense attorney for contempt
Of court.
Another Contempt Fine.
Chief Justice Edward c.. Eicher
imposed q $500 penalty 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 gayel 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 savel."
Asks Testimony Be Stricken.
When Mr.. Bockhacker was ex-
eused, 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-
merts 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-Semitism. He added that his
client never had practiced or been
accused of anti-Semitism.
Z MY client has written many
books" said Mr.. Lindas. I'VE are
Yorced to sit here and listen while
the Government reads these docu-
ments to the jury. They have no
bearing on the specific charge for
which thought the defendants were
being tried. II I try, when my turn
comes, to introduce any of Mr..
Vierecks writings to show he is not
against the Jews, tho Government
will object Immediately that those
are self-serying declarations and
they probably viii be ruled out. II
am shackled hand and foot"
Attorneys for several other de-
fendAnts joined In the motion. JUS
tice Eicher denied it.
Fought Na1is in Munich.
Mr.. Brockhacker said he was born
In this country, but was taken to
Germany when he was Z. 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.
II was fighting" he explained,
"to protect my parents and my
home"
The witness said he was paid $35
q week for two years, between 1888
and 194C, to investigate the Bund in
Los Angeles. The payments were
made by Leon A. Lewis, an attorney,
to whom he reported, he said.
Copies of his reports went to the
FBI and the sheriff's ONCE 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 Antidefamation League of
B'nai B'rith?"
No, I 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, die not"
The direct testimony of this wit
ness centered about alleged inflam-
matory statements by Herman Max
Schwinn, West Coast Bund leader,
q defendant. Two other defendants,
Hans r<.bel and Franz X. Forenz,
Las Angeles Bundists, were brought
In briefly.
500 in Bridge Tourney
En- Nil Atlantic I;@Io