The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-02
MANNING To ORDER.
How some Men I'm France and Ger
many Avoid Consumption.
d..


many Avoid Conscription.
From the London Express.
When some months ago the question Of
conscription was widely discussed in this
country people seemed TO take 1t for
granted that were II once adopted we
continent"
Now. anybody who has taken the
trouble to study the subject will inform
you that on the continent they never
have quite settled down to it,"
Indeed, the extent to which some
young men are prepared to go in order
to avoid compulsory military service is
amazing. Many will actually main them
selves, for physical deformity is about the
only cause which enables a man to be
exempt.
In France and Germany. for instance,
great sensations have been caused from
time to time by the discovery that gangs
of professional manners have been work
ing whole districts. The INSCRIPTIONS adj
venturers undertake to temporarily maim
young men in such way that they will
be rejected by the military authorities
when their turn comes to be examined for
service
The French police have lately been in
hot pursuit of one OF these gangs. Their
plan was simple, yet very clever.
There must have been several members
In the band, as a bulky package of their
letters which has Just been found sho WIS
that they have for months been operat-
ing throughout the department of Lot
et-Garonne, as we'll as in the district
Moissac
On arriving in a town the members of
the band copied from the official list the
names of those who would be required
to do military service when the next call
was issued, and then they ascertained
how many of these young men were will
ing to become soldiers for a time and
how many would much sooner remain at
home.
They lost no time in calling on the sons
OF well-to-do parents who were anxious
to escape military service
IF you can only prove that you have
some grave bodily infirmity," they said
to each of these young men, you will
never be required to serve. If you are
willing to pay us 1000 francs we will
furnish you a bodily inf1rmity which will
not do you injury and yet will prove a
barrier against your becoming a soldier"
As soon as young man accepted this
offer, two of the swindlers proceeded to
manufacture DOully lnnrmlty by CWlSN-
ing and squeezing his toes and fingers,
the result being that after a few days
manipulation they became deformed, and
the young man could congratulate him
self that in view of such a grave physical
defect no medical examiner would accept
him for service.
OF course, the fingers were "guaran-
teed to gradually recover" and the VIC
Tins actually believed they would
Many young Frenchmen have been oper-
ated on in this fashion, and for this ser
vice the majority of them have paid
1000 francs each.
AS a rule. the band insisted on getting
their fee in advance, but sometimes they
had to be satisfied with promssory notes,
and it is because they demanded payment
of one of these that their work has be-
come known.
The note in question was given by a
young man and was readily accepted be-
cause the rogues knew that his mother
was wealthy.
They did not know however that she
was a woman whom no amount of money
could induce to countenance fraud. But
they soon learned it. for when they pre-
scented the note she not only refused to
pay it. but forwarded 1t to the nearest
police magistrate.
As a result some Of the minor conspira-
tors have been arrested, and hundreds of
letters found in their possession have been
sent RI ahe Paris authorities