itjrntttpt.lc ATI AMERICAS COHSlTLAf 15 GHWERAL Berlin, Gemma/* 4ugu«f Z&,

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1 HO.**** itjrntttpt.lc ATI AMERICAS COHSlTLAf 15 GHWERAL Berlin, Gemma/* 4ugu«f Z&, 1%M. jro»k30i v iff msmtii 9Mail :j TO six nogm Hi* MISOMJIiaif 3* *R. 3USMASY SOtfRT IS -if.^ffjm^mm'f, SHS H0B0RAB1S TH3 iicrstaat OF STATI, ^ A*\\V* alh: ""MSKOGTOH. I have the honor to tfanasiit herewith «* ssemoracklttffl pre pared by Ton^ul S&ysioad H«Oelst of hi a flslt to Stet* tin or* tmiutif of ta* Af&erioan seamaa toraten Johnson who was arrested in Stettin on Wit night of July 11, 193$, and iriio on the loth of ^a^ust wae aonaesmed to eix months imprisonment on ftfearges in whiah it wis doei&tted that Johnson h«4 tteted thitkitle? was a flseaho&iovaklan Jew. this ease first ease to the attention of the ~ori8til«ate General through a letter received from tho loa&i agent of the Isanti Lino 1B Stettin, reporting the arrest of»'ohnaoii ^nd advisainf; a* to the disposition of his wages. On August let, the ", ons»l«te Ciefterol received a letter fro Johnaon is whioh he rehearsed briefly the foots or the oase end denied hating ssade the eta talent a alleged hy his aceassr. Th* fon&uieto General iaine a lately got in souf-h over the long dle&anee telephone with the rroaeouting Attorney in Stettin «nd inquired about the trial.

2 - 2 trial. At the smtna ilgre tfonaul Oelst, who conducted the sanversatlons, explained to the Prosecuting ifctomey thst we regarded the charges against Johnson with tery special interest and thought that it would be setter as4 to regard the setter lightly and pointed out that, l Johnson received a heavy sentence, It would get late the newspapers and Mice a very unfavarable iuspreaslon In Africa in view of the feet that the charges»ere f a political.nature and., us it appeared to us, based upon very slender proof* The Prosecuting Attorney was informed that, if the court regarded the charges against Johnson ks serious* It would 'be necessary to aend a consular officer to attend the trjul; but that we preferred not to do'so, as this would attraet the attention of newspaper reporters to the matter, and the affair wight assuase an importance which the circumstances in our opinion did not Justify, the consulate General mads inquiries with regard to the preliminary trial held August 1st, and was advised that the trial had been postponed for XACK of evidence, fhe iispre&sion was received from, the various conversations had with the Prosecuting Attorney that the case would not be dait with seriously* end it was thought here that Johnson might get sff with fine» a month's ispriaonstent. Further conversations were held over the telephone with the prosecuting Attorney before August 10th on wfairh date ths final trial was set, and the distinct iaipre&sioa was mads that Johnson would be doit with leniently. It wars surprised, however, to learn on the afternoon of August loth that he had received

3 - 3 - waived sentence of six months imprisonment* It was d««ldi&, therefor*, to have flonsul eist go to Stettin an4 investigate the oess. The result of the investigation 1B Stettin showed. that Johnson h&a been arrested as the result of ~h&rge««ade against Aim by a f»naileal adherent of the national Ooel&iisi Tarty. the polios were int ieiida ted by this individual end were bound to take oegnizanee of the charges and Laid Johnson IK arrest while the ««Sfc was placed in the h&nds of the Froseouting attorney* is brought out In the eeolosea sseiaorandusa, Johnson was arraigned on august 1st, but only one witness appearing against hiss, the case was re tended over to august loth* for the purpose of suxuaonlng sore witnesses. It is sigaifleant to note that in the esssnti«e &o effort s?as made to afetain witnesses for the defendant; the whole prowess of court Being heat towards obtaining sore evidence for the State.?fae lawyer for the defence never consulted hia client, and it Is evident that the slightest effort was not 8i&A«to help the defendent establish his lnnoee.no**?he a»emor&udu& shows how one*t>lde&ly the trial was conducted* '3ai was ail brought out and e&tphaslse4 by Consul Gelst in his conversations with the Prosecuting Attorney and the attorney for the aefenae in s-tettin. ^fae Consulate (General took the flew that a grave injustice had been done Johnson, and that faiw case afforded another example of the partiality that obtains in

4 - 4 - in Sersian courts and the ittpooaibil&y of obtaining jostles for persons opposed by National..oei&Ust adherents* l*he results of "onsul 3eiat*i fi* t ta Stettia mr% principally that he succeeded in getting the Fro-- saaotlng Attorney to promise his l&ttediats support to obtain ft pardon for Johnson* The lawyer for the defense, Br* H&rder, with whoss Honsul Geist had & lsn$ ttanversatlon, w&a anxious to draw ap the plea for pardon and forward it to Berlin at oeae*?he impression w&s distlnaly gained that the officials who had been concerned ia the prosecution *»na defense of Johnson had acted under political pressure and «tere only too gl&d to find a way to and the ^rong that had been done. On August iigna, the day after Mr* fceiat's return from.*tettia, we went together to the ^ru^sian ministry of Justice and laid the caee before iir* ton Hake, acting In the abi enow, of staetasekreter rreislar* Br* von Hake took a very favorable tiew of the request we nade 'far pardon and stated that he would take las&edlatt action -whan the aos^ia* c&ma ia fro ;>tettl% " -day the Consulate General i*eceived a copy of the plea for pardon which Jr* Harder had drawn up at Stettin and ahich has been signed by borates Johnson* It is expected that the aaattar will receive iirtfteuiate attention in the Prussian ministry of Justice ^n& that- Johnson will be pardoned in the next few days.

5 b - the Sanaa!** te &en«*i will import a final solution mt this «a»e «s 3:30*1 iu i decision nss % es a&de In the Ministry of Juaiifte. -ftte.department* & attention is specially invited to the en«las 4 ne&orandajb whi«sn Indicates?<sry alearly tae wanner la whiete the so-«salied M Sonafs>r,«rl«*nte w or SurHRery court **ra functioning la Sers&ay. Haspeetfully. yours, Snalorareai 1) Mes rendu prepared by Mr. Oelat; Oeorge 3«%«&aaraftilth t Aster lean Consul General* 320/600 /RHO-3*.