Page:Edvard Beneš – Bohemia's case for independence.pdf/81

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CZECHO-SLOVAKS AND THE WAR, 1914
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books, and referring to a conference held before the war.

The trial of Scheiner, President of the Slav Union of "Sokol" Gymnasts. He was arrested the same day as Dr Kramář and charged with having organised revolts of the "Sokols" on the battlefields, and with having kept up relations, with the enemies of the monarchy. Dr Scheiner was released later on, as the accusation was based on no positive facts.

The trial of Kramář, Rašín, Červinka, and Zamazal.—Deputy Kramář was arrested on May 27th, 1915; the other three accused were arrested at the end of June. They were charged with high treason and with the corruption of the army. The responsibility for the revolts of Czech soldiers at the front was laid on the leader of the Neoslav movement. The sentence to death was based on the evidence of former correspondence he had had with French and Russian statesmen, on his speeches and articles before the war, on his travels to Russia, etc. (see the document in the Appendix). Deputy Rašín was condemned as being the principal collaborator of Dr Kramář, Červinka, the editor of Národní listy, and the accountant Zamazal were condemned for espionage. The death sentence against all four was pronounced on June 3rd, 1916. Their appeal was dismissed. The new Emperor pardoned the condemned,