Evening star., 1944-10-03
FbI Hounds Persons
On Trial in Sedition
Case, Attorney Says
Eicher Asked to Protect
Defendants From
Discriminatory Acts
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.

AAAS = SSASA 0A 3AA Nha Va AAAvCobA6a-
ton was charged, in q motion filed
In District Court today, with
bounding" defendants in the Sc
dition case who are out on bond,
driving them from jobs essential to
their livelihood during the many
months Of the trial.
Chief Justice Edward C. Eicher
was asked to protect the defendants
from these and other alleged perse-
cutions and discriminatory acts.
The motion was fled by Ira Chase
Koehne, attorney for 3 Of the 26
accused persons.
Mr.. Koehne cited two Of his cli-
ents, Lois De Lafayette Washburn
and Frank w. Clark, as typical vic
Tins Of such practices.
Clark is from Tacoma, Wash, and
Mrs. Washburn from Chicago, and
Mr.. Koehne pointed out that, with
their homes at great distance, they
were without means and forced to
work during the trial to obtain food
and shelter.
Presumption Of Innocence Cited.
The motion charged that when
they obtain employment it is not
long thereafter that they lose such
employment" The FBI, Mr.. KOehne
said, investigates movements Of all
the defendants, causing their con-
nection with the trial to become
known and their job to be lost.
The attorney emphasized that all
persons accused of crime are pre-
sumed in law to be innocent until
convicted, and that for the defend
ants to be Disseminated against
because they are on trial deprives
them Of their constitutional rights.
The court was declared warranted
In regarding such conduct on the
part of the Governments agents as
summary contempt"
Mr.. Koehne also charged that be-
cause he was an attorney in the
sedition case, suit has been filed
against him to oust him from his
omces in the Barr Building, despite
a lease and prompt payment of all
rent. He recited that persons who
recently acquired title to the prem
ises brought suit against him in
Municipal Court, and obtained iudg-
ment, but themselves moved to dis
miss when Mr.. Koehne, moving for
q new trial, opposed termination of
the lease. Mr.. Koehne is insisting
on judgment In his own favor. He
has, meanwhile, filed suit in District
Court against Herbert Harvey, de-
scribed as q realty agent, for Sc, ,OOo
as damages for inconvenience, inter-
ference with his duties in the trial
and professional injury.
VIII Resume Tomorrow.
Mr.. Koehne's third client in the
sedition use, Howard v. Broen-
strupp, attached an afidavit to the
motion attesting knowledge of the
acts described.
The trial was in recess today and
will be resumed at pm. tomorrow
when SEVERN Winterscheidt, q Gov
ernment witness, will be cross-ex.
amined further. This witness wa
under interrogation by defense
counsel all day yesterday.
Joseph H. Bilbrey, attorney for
Franz Ferenz, tried to bring out
that there was nothing unusual In
the type Of propaganda which the
German-American Bund, In which
Winterscheidt once was a prominent
figure, was carrying on In America.
did you ever read Dale Car
negie?" the attorney asked. The
witness said he had not.
Were you not trying in the bund
what he advocates, to win friends
and influence people?''
Eyes"
Were you successful In that en-
deavor?"
II think we were"
Winterscheidt said he once be-
lieved In Hitler and national social
Ism, but his views had changed.
He added that Hitler had done
things which had caused him to
lose faith In the T,lehrer.