New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-25
Discovery Puts Young
Student in Jail and Brings
United States Inquiry.
ARMING OF FORCES
IN MEXICO OUTLINED
Notes Tell How San Francisco
Could Be Attacked and
Germans Helped.

When Sho Shiato. a young Japanese.
tossed a milk bottle through Brooklyn
streetcar window last week, he not
only wished upon himself an abode in
Jail. but started the great Federal ma
chinery at Washington on an inquiry
which may end in proving the presence
Of the yellow peril" in the United
States. While Secret Service men in
New York and Washington are investi-
eating Sho Shiato's activities in this
country the young Japanese, with an
$500 bankroll that he cannot spend, IS
occupying a cell in Raymond Street jail
in Brooklyn.
Two memorandum books containing
plans OF Pacific Coast defences, de-
scriptions OF San Francisco harbor and
plans Of a japanese invasion of CALI
forna, found on Shiato's person,
coupled with his strange behavior fol-
lowing his arrest, have prompted Sc
cret Service officials in every city from
New York TO San Francisco TO investi-
gate the presence Of japanese spies in
the country.
Shiato, who says he is twenty-one
and lives at 23S Sixth Avenue. was ar
rested at Hamilton Avenue and Union
Street, Brooklyn, on April Is, after he
had gotten into an argument with a
streetcar conductor over transfer. IL
ended in the young japanese sending
milk bottle crashing through the car
window. Policeman Robert j. Marshall,
of the traffic squad. arrested him and
took him to the Hamilton Avenue police
station. There $500 in cash, two note
books and jewelry were found on his
person. The notebooks were not
opened.
Notes on L. S. Defences.
The following day Shiato was ar
raigned on an assault charge before
Magistrate George =. rolwell in the
Butler Street police court, found guilty
and ordered held for Special Sessions.
Shiato, who said he was a high school
student and talked fuently in English,
Immediately demanded the return of
his property The jewelry and money
were given to him, and he then asked
for the memorandum books. Casually
Magistrate Folwell picked them up and
opened them. What he saw made bin
start with surprise. On almost every
page were scribled notes relative to
coast defences and the names Of promi-
nent Americans interested in foreign
relief work. There was a description of
the harbor at San Francisco and notes
in English on how it could be attacked.
Information on soliciting arms for the
japanese in Mexico and how Germany
could stir up trouble in Mexico for the
United States was also discovered.
Magistrate Folwell Immediately no
tilted the Federal authorities. Shiato
became non-communicative and pre-
tended not TO understand questions put
to him.
Japanese Found Guilty.
Yesterday he was arraigned in the
Court of Special Sessions before JUS
tees Salmon, Kernochan and Frescni.
lie pretended ignorance Of the English
language and il was necessary TO pro-
cure an Interpreter. He was found
guilty and sentence was about TO be i'm
posed when Assistant District Attorney
Edward W. Cooper asked that the pris-
oner be remanded to await word from
Washington on the investigation. Shiato
is being held without bail until Mon
day.
The memorandum books, which were
sent to the Department Of Justice IN
Washington on April 10, the day fol-
lowing Shiato's arrest, have been turned
over to Secret Service men for investi-
cation. Much of the writing IS in
Japanese and is being translated.