OCR Text |
Show SAM PLATT OPENS DEFENSE OF BOPP Former Candidate for U. S. Senate From Nevada First Man on Program. Attacks Character and Credibility Credi-bility of Government In- J former Alleged British Spy. San Francisco, Cal . Jan. 9 Sam Piatt of Reno, counsel for the defense and former candidate for the United States senate from Nevada, was the firi-t man on the program today in the trial of Franz Bopp, German consul-general, consul-general, and his aids in the uistrict court here today for conspiracies to dynamite munition ships and trains destined for the entente allies, Piatt began his closing argument late yesterday yes-terday with an attack upon the character char-acter and credibility of the government govern-ment informer, Louis J Smith, whom Piatt charged was already a spy in the pay of the British consulate here when he induced the German consulate consu-late to hire him, Piatt said, in order to Involve Uie German consulate. A f . , Tlt. ...ill 1 f , 1, AtuH 1 icj.ii. win cuijjo pr'jitii ui tut remaining counsel for the five defend-! defend-! ants which include Vice Consul E. H. von Schack. George von Bricken, C. I C. Crowley and Mrs. Margaret W. I Cornell, besides Smith. Plait tried to show that Crowley, who accompanied Smith about the countrv in quest of 1 war information, was realh a victim of a trail of dynamite operations left j by Smith in order to later involve I Crowley and the consulate. It Is expected that the arguments j will be with the Jury tonight, although 1 the court's instructions may be do- layed until tomorrow. 00 |