There is grit, shrewdness and loyalty all combined in the report of the Chief of Rensselaer, Indiana, division. It is too good to change and the cases cited are given in the Chief’s own words:
I am also sending you a few sketches of our work; if you can use them in the history of the League it will be appreciated. I am very much interested in the history.
First Case: There were numerous complaints and rumors of pro-Germanism and disloyalty in Northern Jasper County. Our operatives, got a great many affidavits against a certain Lutheran minister, and an enemy alien named Herman S——, who had been bragging that no one could make him register. Accompanied by an operative, I took my car one Sunday and we went out to S——’s house and the following conversation took place:
Q. Herman, why haven’t you registered as the law requires you to?
A. Well, I supposed that my father had taken out his papers and I did not need to register.
Q. Well, how did it come that your brother Paul registered; he must have understood the law?
A. S—— flushed up, but did not answer.
Q. Well, Herman, you had better come in to-morrow and register.
A. But I have some oats that have to be harrowed, and I can’t come in.
Q. Well, all right, if you would rather harrow your oats and not register and spend the remainder of the time of the war in a Federal prison, you harrow the oats.