The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-12

Army Detoiins 13 Americans In Frankfurt
Imprisoned in U. $. Stockade Without Charges, Counsel

Frankfurt, Aug 12-UP)-Thir- teen Misunderstanding six civil ians-imprisoned in a U. s. Army stockade here for as long as two months are being held without charges and without the privilege of legal counsel, it was disclosed today.
 Capt. Earl Carroll, former prose- cutor at the Litchfield brutality trials, said the disclosure came aft CT he received letter from Pfc. Daniel P. Walczak, p, of Detroit Mich.
 Investigation revealed that 53 persons had been detained in the military prison for periods ranging from one week to 63 days-all with out charges being brought against them.
 Suspected In Murder
 Walczak was suspected of com- plicity in the murder of 19-year- old German girl when he was jailed on June II. He wrote the letter which reached Captain Carol after Walczak tried unsuccessfully to ob- tain lawyer.
 Three of the prisoners-including Walczak-said they had been slapped and beaten by agents of the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Two of them said CID. men intercepted and read prison CTS letters from the United States.
 Capt. Harold H. Chase, assistant to the European Theater judge ad- Vocate, said the delays were "un- fortunate" All men awaiting trial in the stockade, he said,s would be represented by counsel after charges are preferred against them.
 Chase, who formerly was United States commissioner at Salina, Kans., said many of the officers defending prisoners were men without legal experience, but that "this is not the United States"
 Civilians Named
 The six civilians being held and the dates of their arrest were:
 Irving M Ayers, g, Harrisburg, Pa, June II; John w. Logsdon, p, Detroit, Mich, June 13; Alvin F. Bockrader, 24 Bowling Green, O., June IA; Lawrence F. Benson, 40, Chicago, Ill, June 23; William c. Mckinley, 24, Bessemer, Ala, June 29; Henry E. GreWe, 43, Detroit, July g.
 "1f an American citizen at home were placed in confinement without counsel and kept 60 days the whole nation would rise in protest, Car roll said. By virtue of what logic can the same American citizen be stripped of those safeguards so jealously guarded at home when he is in foreign land where they are Of much greater importance?
 Carroll, who resigned from the Lichfield prosecution staff after charging there was an effort 10 "whitewash" certain officers, said Walczak'S case 'transcends any question of guilt or innocence" The fact that Walczak was held in Jail for more than SO days without an opportunity to prepare his defense forever foreclosed the opportunity to get the full truth" Carroll said. To Take Necessary Steps
 At the request Of correspondents. Col Owen Summers, Portland, Ore, headquarters commandant, sum- moned the six civilian prisoners before a special board of inquiry. Five said they desired defense counsel immediately. Benson a for mer Signal Corps auditor, said If somebody will tell me what I'm charged with and who is pressing the charges-then I'll know whether I need lawyer" Summers said Benson's case would be "investi- gated
 Summers said steps will be taken" to give the other men coun- sel, but added that charges would not be preferred until the Criminal Investigation Division had com- pleted it's investigation.
 All of the civilian prisoners said they were not told of their right to counsel after they were arrested. Two said that they had been in- formed by guards that they were not entitled to counsel until charges were preferred.