The division had a good case on certain German sympathizers believed to be sending certain information to the enemy. A dictaphone was installed in a hotel room which they occupied, and the place was watched day and night for a week. Just at the time when it seemed that some information was going to be reported, a parrot which the people had in the room started to chatter and beat them into the dictaphone. Nothing was discovered at that time and the Chief reports, “I regret we cannot print what came over the dictaphone by the parrot.”
Adolph R——, a German of the Germans, was within the draft, but resisted in every possible way, and said he would kill any members of the League who came after him. He even called up individual members and told them he was going to shoot them. When an order came he told the A. P. L. man that he would pay no attention. A detail was sent after him and he was escorted like a little lamb to the barracks. He has been a good German ever since.
The League found that it had in its ranks as an operative a resident of the city of Cleveland, who had been there all his life but was a German alien and not registered. This fellow was arrested and interned for a short period, though soon paroled.
The Cleveland division of A. P. L. took a very prominent part in the Debs case, and furnished abundant men and machines on the Sunday that Debs was arrested in Cleveland. It also helped to assemble the evidence on which Debs was indicted.
Washington was on the hunt for a dangerous enemy alien by the name of Henry H——. Information came that he was working for a photographic concern in Cleveland, but he could not be located. Four months later a complaint of pro-Germanism came in against a man of the same name working for a city directory company. He had changed his occupation but not his nature, and hence was arrested.
The printed page was another form of propaganda in Cleveland. An alien enemy editor of a German paper was allowed at large with restrictions. He abused his privilege and was interned at Fort Oglethorpe. Indictments and convictions were found against members of the staff of a German daily. Yet another editor refused to print articles on food conservation, and he also was indicted and convicted. Sabotage was threatened and planned in many cases. In one instance a tip got out that a big war plant was to be blown up on one of two given nights. The League got on the job and found the plant to be insufficiently guarded. The guard was increased and no damage was done.
Gottlieb K——, an alien enemy, was caught out of his zone without his permit. Operatives went to his home and found two Mauser rifles, a peck of shells, a dagger, a blackjack and several maps of Canada, the United States and Mexico. Gottlieb was thought to be more fit for Fort Oglethorpe than Cleveland.
Mr. A. L. H——, a member of the Cleveland Board of Education, had his own idea about education. In the home of a socialist he remarked that the Liberty Bonds would never be paid, and that the working class for generations would have to work to support these bonds. He stated that the Russian Committee, headed by Elihu Root, who went to Russia to investigate the conditions there, had their report written and signed before they left America. He frequently said that the bonds of the United States were not worth the paper they were written on. Affidavits resulted in the indictment of Mr. H——, and he was sentenced to ten years in the Atlanta Penitentiary, the conviction automatically removing him from the Board of Education.
A mail carrier in Cleveland fell heir to $60,000, but being a socialist, would not subscribe to Liberty Bonds. He was called to the headquarters of the A. P. L. and reasoned with. The next day his son came into headquarters literally running over with Liberty Bonds. He had $10,000 worth, all in $100 denominations! They sent him home with a guard.
The A. P. L. was responsible for obtaining the evidence that secured the conviction of the State Secretary of the Socialist Party and two others. All of these men publicly made speeches against the draft, and were actually instrumental in preventing certain men from complying with the Selective Service Act. All sentenced to one year of peace in the Canton workhouse by the Federal Court.