Ernest W——, reported as an alien enemy in the pay of the German Government, a sailor on the Great Lakes in the summer time. Reported to the steamship company of Cleveland which used to employ him.
C. B—— works for the Dow Chemical Company. Operative reports he said United States was to blame for the war and that Germany had told the people of the United States not to board English ships. All of which sounds familiar—if not convincing—to an American. Ja wohl!
John W——, reported pro-German, had expressed himself as opposed to the United States in the war. Since we declared war, has been more discreet. A common case.
H. S——, in the army cantonment, but reported to have stated he would desert as quickly as he got to France. His officers duly notified.
E. L. K——, a foreman in the wood shop of the Dow Chemical Company, reported to be willing to bet $100 that the United States would never whip Germany. Too bad someone did not take him up several times! Ach! das thut uns leid!
A. B. B——, reported by some patent attorneys to have appeared at their office desiring the Russian patent for a dinner pail which would be capable of containing several sticks of dynamite hidden in coils. A compartment for a clock was also called for. This would be a fine thing for a workman to take into a building such as this Government enterprise. The attorneys did not care for confidential relations with such a client. Close watch was kept for three weeks, but the client did not come back.
John G—— said when the Lusitania was sunk, “What in hell were the —— —— on that boat for, anyway—were they not warned to keep off?” Which again sounds familiar. Indeed, that was the attitude of practically every German or pro-German in America, no matter whether naturalized or not.
Alma, Michigan, is a pleasant and quiet city, but you can’t tell where a big story will break. Drama is no respecter of geography. Which is by way of saying that one Herman R—— is reported by Gratiot County Division to have been raised on a farm in this locality. During the war he went to Spokane, Washington, and joined the I. W. W. He was indicted among others in the Haywood trial and disappeared while waiting for trial. Gratiot County Division was directed to look him up.
A visit was made to the sister of R——, who herself appeared as much an I. W. W. as need be. Through persistence, however, they learned where Herman was approximately. It was concluded that the brother and sister might correspond, so the mails were watched. Sure enough, on the third day there came a letter from Spokane addressed to another sister, and bearing the Spokane postmark. Then a brother of Herman was visited, and from him and from his unmarried sister a snapshot was obtained of Herman and his pal, each holding an I. W. W. paper facing toward the camera, which sufficiently well identified them and their tendencies.
Later on both Herman and his pal were located, apprehended, tried, convicted, and sentenced in the Chicago trial.