Two Charged With Assault On Watson

Two former Harvard students were arraigned yesterday on charges of assault and battery against Dean Watson during last April's occupation of University Hall.

James T. Kilbreth III 69 and John C. Berg, a former graduate student-both separated from the University for their participation in the April occupation-pleaded not guilty to the charges in Middlesex Superior Court. They were released on personal recognizance; no trial date has been set.

Kilbreth testified at the Nov 19 trial of Carl D. Offner, a former teaching fellow in Mathematics, who was later convicted of assault and battery against Watson.

Kilbreth, taking the witness stand in Offner's defense, said that he himself had "seized his [Watson's] right arm in order to get him out of the building." and that Offner had not been present when Watson was pushed out of University Hall. Offner is appealing a four-month jail sentence for the offense.

Berg, who also testified at Offner's trial, said last night that he believed the indictments against him and Kilbreth resulted from Watson's testimony to the grand jury which indicted them two weeks ago. "Harvard is resorting to force-throwing people out of school, prosecuting them-in an effort to curb SDS activity," Berg said.

Watson said he did not know how the indictments originated, and that he had been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury.

On November 14 Berg was convicted of trespassing at Harvard in September and was fined $20. At the time of his separation, he had been forbidden to appear at Harvard.