Friends of New Germany Membership Roll Yielded to Federal Grand Jury

Meekly, in compliance with the demands of Assistant United States Attorney William Prager, Engelborg Roell, secretary of both the national and local organizations of the League of Friends of New Germany, yesterday surrendered the membership list of his group to the grand jury.

Roell last week defied the federal body when they called for the list. He was promptly heard in federal court, given 24 hours in the detention house, and emerged, considerably chastened by the horseplay of fellow prisoners, to declare he would be pleased to turn over the account. Yesterday he did it.

Besides Roell, two other members of the Friends of New Germany gave testimony before the grand jury yesterday. F. Mensing, member of the local group, and the Rev. Francis Gross, Hitlerite preacher from Perth Amboy, now under indictment for criminal libel of Samuel Untermyer, were questioned at length by the assistant United States attorney.

Outside the grand jury room, Hermann Jahn, agent for the North German Lloyd, and William Meyer, head of the Newark branch of the League of Friends of New Germany and ranking head of the eastern division of that organization since the disappearance of Heinz Spanknoebel, awaited their calls before the body. Lack of time made impossible the hearing of their testimony.

Also in the hall was Fritz Gissibl, Chicago chief of the organization, who has been in New York for more than one month during the current hearings. He declared that he is no longer wanted by the authorities here and is free to return to Chicago.

Although no indictments have been handed down since that of six weeks ago against Heinz Spanknoebel, fugitive organizer and leader of the League of Friends of New Germany, it is understood that the grand jury will not adjourn at this time. Further hearings are expected today.