CHICAGO — On May 25, 1969, a Chicago selective service office was broken into and ransacked by 15 persons.
Today, seven of them are in jail awaiting sentencing. Seven others are fugitives and the 15th is in a mental institution by court order.
A U.S. District Court jury June 5 deliberated less than three hours before convicting 10 of the anti-war protesters.
Judge Edwin A. Robson revoked bonds posted by seven of the 10 on grounds they “were crying for the overthrow of our government.”
Three convicted defendants were absent from the trial. Robson ordered federal agents to look for them. All 10 face possible prison sentences of 23 years and fines of $32,000.
Four of the defendants pleaded innocent because of “cultural insanity.” They said they felt burning draft records to halt the war was normal behavior. Robson ordered the defendants to undergo psychiatric examination.
One of those convicted is Margaret Katroscik, a 28-year-old Detroiter who was portrayed by a friend, a teacher and her brother as a “Christian pacifist.”
“I think she’s a very thoughtful person,” said Dr. Sally Cassidy, chairman of the social science department of Monteith College of Wayne State University.
Another Detroiter convicted is Fred—crick Chase, 25, who had sought refuge in a Detroit church before being arrested by federal agents on May 5.
Chase had sought sanctuary in Sacred Heart Catholic Church May 4 and was arrested the following day by FBI agents.
Pleas of innocent by reason of insanity were made in the trial by Fr. Nicholas J. Riddell, a Catholic priest from Milwaukee, William Durkin, and Edward Gargan, both of Milwaukee, and Linda Quint, of Chicago.
Fr. Riddell and Miss Quint had been missing from trial sessions since Tuesday. Defendant Charles Muse, of Roxbury, Mass., failed to appear.
The other defendants are Fr. Joseph E. Mulligan, a Jesuit seminarian from North Aurora, Ill, William Sweeney, Milwaukee, and Charles Fullenkemp, Burbank, S.D.
An 11th defendant, Edward Hoffmans, of Iowa City, Iowa, was declared mentally incompetent and severed from the trial.