Evening star., 1944-09-17
Sedition
CONTINUED From First Page.)

pays 100 per cent, was s4,35o.77 from
the time OF their arrest or transfer
here to August 18. This expense
was estimated at $1,414 for the rest
Of the trial.
Nine Are In Jail.
Eight defendants and one former
defendant are in District Jail. The
case Of the former defendant, Rob-
ert Noble, was severed from the
others some time ago. but he still Is
held here under an appeal from a
denied writ of habeas corpus, which
was sought to prevent his return
to California, where he faces two
prison terms on previous convic-
tions.
Mr.. Pilkerton pointed out in his
letter to Mr.. Stefan that his f1g-
ures did not include any cost in
the United States Court of Appeals,
to which various motions have been
addressed since the trial started, or
in the Department Of Justic, "aS no
expenses were directly involved in
these cases"
The Department Of Justice ex-
penses eventually chargeable to the
sedition case will include salaries of
special prosecutors and a staff en-
gagged in preparing evidence and
other details and the cost Of investi-
cations conducted by the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
Two Factors May End Trial.
Indications are that the only way
the trial could end by Christmas.
assuming 1t does not fsbiow upa
sooner through q mistrial, would
be through the intervention Of two
factors: es4,sasasa>4.
/. The Government would decide
to drop part OF its planned evi-
dence or the court would exclude
q sizeable portion Of it.
2. The court would grant directed
verdicts of acquittal for all rs de-
PENDANTS at the close Of the Gov
ernment's case.
Otherwise, should even substan-
tial number of defendants remain
in the case after the prosecution
rests. the trial is likely to 60 we'll
into l945. Each defendant would
have to present his case and some
probably would require long time.
Il think it we'll" Mr.. Pilkerton
wrote, ito call attention to the fact
that there were originally 80 de-
PENDANTS in the case now on trial,
one of whom has died and three
have been dropped, leaving at this
time only rs defendants. There are
also serving in this case without
compensation IA attorneys appoint
ed by the court to protect the con-
stitutional rights Of the said de-
PENDANTS"
District Court Costs Rise.
The Districts share Of operating
the courts for 1914, including ap-
proximately four months of the Sc
dition trial, was reported at $685.
s05.78-an increase Of approximately
s45.000 over last years cost. The
courts cost the local government
e605.92169 for 1943.
The court costs include certain
expenses OF the marShals office and
Of the Justice Department. To
show "the normal trend in the cost
Of operating the courts" Mr.. Pill
kerton cited these reimbursements
which the District gave the Federal
Government:
In 1899. $353,614: 1910, $536.650;
i941, S65.511.l3; 1912, $581 ,42302.
While the District pays so per cent
Of the District Court costs, it bears
only 30 per cent Of the expenses of
the Court Of Appeals.
There were three grand jury in
vestigations before the sedition trial
started April II. The first two in
dictments have not been brought
to trial. The rs defendants are be-
Ing tried on the third indictment,
charging conspiracy to undermine
the loyalty of the armed forces.
Mr.. Pilkerton broke down the cost
Of the grand jury inquiries and the
trial as follows for the four months
he actually tabulated:
Jurors grand and petit, $14,232;
witnesses, $19,975.43; expert wit