DRUNK AND PROFANE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23867, 22 July 1939, Page 21

DRUNK AND PROFANE

AMERICAN BUND LEADER FINED FIVE DOLLARS WEBSTER (Massachusetts), July 21. (Received July 22, at 0.35 a.m.) The German-American bund leader, Fritz Kuhn, pleaded guilty to charges of drunkenness and profanity, and was fined five dollars. He then told the press that he was neither drunk nor profane. The plea of guilty was entered in order to avoid a courtroom "theatrical performance." On leaving the courtroom Kuhn extended his hand to a police officer, saying, "No hard feelings, I hope." The officer, who was a former prizefighter, replied, " It was a good thing I was in uniform when you said what you did, or your own mother would not have recognised you."

A policeman halted Kuhn and Count Anastase von Siatsky, leader of the White Russians in America, as the pair left a cafe and started to enter the count's car. The policemen insisted that the count was too drunk to drive, and took both to the station-house, where it was agreed Kuhn should drive. After starting the motor, Kuhn leaned out of the window and cursed the policeman, who promptly pulled him out and arrested him on charges of drunkenness and profanity. Kuhn was released after he. and the count raised 54 dollars for bail. "Kuhn was just another wise, commented the police chief, Mr John "who thought this a hick town and that he could stage one of those beerhall putsch things and be a dictator in it."