Show ELL BERGDOLL ACTOR ABDUCTOR ACTORis IS GUilTY AN AND MUST SERVE TERM fER IN N JAL Defending His Action Lieutenant Lieuten lieuten- ant Gr Declares res Loyalty Loyalty Loyalty Loy Loy- alty to United States Prompted Act MOSBACH l Baden Dec Dee 7 By ByA A A. P. P P.-A P. A sentence of ot eighteen months' months imprisonment was Imposed today upon Corliss Hooven Griffis' Griffis of Hamilton 0 O. for the patt he I played In the attempted of Grover Cleveland Bergdoll I 1 American draft evader at Eberbach Eber- Eber Eber 1 bach last August Karl Sperber I of ot Paris was sent sentenced to fifteen I months and the Russian prince i Faust Gagarin to five months Eugene Victor Nelson of ot Chicago I Ie I Ithe the e fourth defendant was set free tree I A sentence of ot three years ears for Griffis had been recommended by States State's Attorney Nebel Nobel also urged three years for Sperber one year for tor the Russian prInce and six months for Nelson Bergdoll's counsel contended these terms erms were insufficient punishment and nd asked the court for heavier sen san especially for Griffis Gnus and Nelson kelson Nebel contended that the United States tales government was largely responsible responsible re- re for the attempts to remove I Bergdoll illegally lIe He expressed the opinion pinion that it would be wise if It the Americans in the Interests of peace abandon bandon this everlasting manhunt for or Bergdoll He asserted Germanys Germany's Germanys Germany's Germanys Germany's Ger Ger- many's sovereignty had been violated violated vio- vio and that the Americans had taken aken advantage antage of Germanys Germany's position position tion lon as she was weak weale and virtually down own and out GRIFFIS PRIME MOVER Testifying In his own behalf yesterday yes yes- esterday erday Lieutenant Griffis asserted that liat he was the tho prime mover In the plot lot to capture and take Bergdoll back ack to the United States The American legion had no knowledge ot of f the attempt but numerous AmerIcan American Amer- Amer Ican can officers In Paris were aware of it Griffis was called as the first witness because In accordance with German procedure the defense al- al Continued on page 4 BERGDOLL BERGDOl I I Continued from page 1 ways presents Its evidence before the prosecutor introduces his Inthe Inthe In Inthe the course courso of his testimony Griffis explained that the tho American draft dratt system was by number and he said the man who had tal taken en number was killed This explanation interested the court Presiding Judge Kurzmann frequently had asked questions andone andone and andone one of these was whether the man who actually replaced replace Bergdoll In Inthe Inthe inthe the army had met death In declaring that he had worked for tor purely patriotic motives mothes Griffis Griffis' asserted that he had expected no rev from the tho capture of ot the tho draft evader ovader A report that Ike Steelier formerly formerly formerly for for- merly of ot Philadelphia who acted as Bergdoll's ll's chauffeur when Bergdoll Bergdoll Bergdoll Berg- Berg doll fled tIed the tho United States would kidnap Griffis reached the court through the attorney for Griffis Judge Kurzmann then called Bergdoll's Bergdolt's Bergdoll's Berg- Berg dolls doll's uncle Carl Bohrmann into court and cautioned him that if Bergdoll and his friends attempted any injury to Griffis they would be DC dealt with se severely by the tho court Judge Kurzmann asked wh why after the war had been ended five years the he Americans still in insisted insisted in- in slated on Bergdoll's returning and facing trial declaring time eliminates eliminates nates everything everything even even the tho hatreds of ot war Avar I REPLIES TO COURT Time never will eliminate the feelings of Americans in the tho Bergdoll BPi Berg doll case replied Griffis who then launched Into a detailed story of or Bergdoll's i flight and arid the wrath aroused among the people He lie tollof toll toli of 01 insults later offered the United States government and the American American Ameri Amen can people generally by Bergdoll who he be said escaped by Berg the tho us uses of ot his wealth But why did you you- yourself attempt attempt at- at tempt empt to return Bergdoll to AmerIca Amer- Amer Ica ca asked ed the court you realize your plans provided for fOl breaking the taws laws of 01 Germany I realize that replied Griffis but I felt it was my duty the duty the thou thought ht having come to m me mf while touring the cemeteries in Fl France where American soldiers are buried Thi This inspired me more than an thing else to try and get Berg Bergdoll oll back to face trial trial- I realize that I- I tho the German German Gentian Ger- Ger would bave have to disregard man tian laws and also French laws But love of my mv country was greater greater great great- er er than any fear of ot Continuing Griffis said hp he felt the he German government would be relieve l to be rid of oC Berg Bergdoll HP ITt I had talked with numerous Americans Americans Ameri Amen cans in Paris several of ot them army officers officers conc concerning ing his plans I K Ir the American government d dp- dp sires tho the extradition of ot Bergdoll does it not t take k the steps through the proper channel the attorney asked He Ho declared nij and his fellow defendants should j I thank their luc lucky v stars and the tho Eberbach polite police that they were not lynched on th thc tho nIght t bf f. f August 10 I by a mob of or infuriated d citizens |