"Yes, I did see them."
After the complaint had been read, Commissioner Houghton asked about bail. Assistant District Attorney Roger B. Wood, who conducted the proceedings before the Grand Jury, said:
"Ten thousand dollars, not a cent less."
Commissioner Houghton fixed bail at that figure. He then asked Stahl if he had anything to say, and the prisoner replied:
"Before I say anything I would like to see several gentlemen."
Commissioner Houghton then asked if he had a lawyer. Stahl replied that he had not, and that he had no means to employ one.
"Shall I assign one for you?" asked the Commissioner.
"No," replied Stahl; "I should like to have Mr. Sandford, who acted for me yesterday and the day before."
He referred to Edward Sandford of 27 William Street, who was counsel for Carl Buenz, a Director of the Hamburg-American Line, and for other officials of that line, who were indicted by the Federal Grand Jury on March 1 on the charge of conspiring against the United States by making out false clearance papers and false manifests for the collection of customs in connection with the steamships Fram, Somerstadt, Lorenzo, and Berwind, which were loaded with coal and provisions intended for the German cruiser Karlsruhe and the auxiliary cruiser Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse.
Commissioner Houghton assigned Mr. Sandford as counsel for Stahl. The Commissioner then asked Stahl if he had any friends in the room, to which Stahl with a smile, replied in the negative.