The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-01-01
M1IsIs ul1a OFFICERS.
MEMBERS OF PEACE ADVOCATE
COUNCIL COME UNDER SHEER
MAN LAW.
Eight Men Including Congressman
Buchanan. Former Congressman
Fowler and Former Attorney Gener.
Al Of Ohio, Monnctt, Among Those
CHARGED.

EOWhor anu tOfuer Attorney GeneP.
Al Of Ohio, Monnctt, Among Those
Charged.
New York. Dec. 2s.-Eight mon, in
cluding q congressman, former con-
gressman and former attorney gem
eral Of Ohio. were indicted today by
= federal grand jury on charge of
conspiring to foment strikes in Amer
lean munition factories ms part of a
campaign. financed by the German
soVernment to. check the expectation
Of munitions to the entente allies.
The men indicted were: Congress-
man Frank Buchanan Of Illinois, For
NOR Congressman H.. Robert Fowler
lpf Illinois. Frank s. Monnett, former
attorney general Of Ohio; H. B. Mar
tin. Herman schu,teis. Franz Won
Rintelen. Davis Lamar and Jacob C.
|9tylor. All OF the men EXCEPT Won
Rintelen and Lamar are officers or
former ofncers OF Labor's National
Peace council. The government
lchaSgss that this organisation was
financed by Franz Won Rintelen, a
German agent. to instigate strikes in
munition plants, while ostensibly
working In the interest OF interna-
tional peace.
The indictment of Monnett was the
sensation Of the grand jury prodceed-
ings The bills against his seven CO.
defendants had been predicted for
Fseveral weeks. but Nonnett's name
had nsver been mentioned.
Lamar, who has been called the
wolf Of Wall Street." Is charged
with being Rinteien's pay1naster. It
y said hundreds Of thousands OF dol.
lars passed through his hands, ana Il
is alleged he benefited personally to
the extent CT 100000.
Rintelen h q prisoner in ENGLAND
He was seized by the British authori-
ties At Falmouth while fleeing from
this country under . false passport.
He b under indictment here, charged
with conspirins to procure bogus
passport as an American citizen. No
effort Will be made. however. to OBJ
tain his return a. the offenses with
which he Is charged are not sxtradit-
able.
All Of the indictments were re-
turned under the Sherman anti trust
law and charge conspiracy in restraint
OF the foreign trade Of the United
states. T-he maximum penalty is one
years Imprisonment 'and Ane oil
$10, 600.
AS sool, as the grand jury reported
its findings agents OF the department
OF justice. acting with United states
deputy marshals. were instructed to
arrest the indicted men.
Labor's National Peace council was
organized In May OF this year after
the arrival in this country on April
8 OF Ftons Won Rintelen. He ap-
parently commanded unlimited funds,
having $4,000 to his credit in one
New York bank. According to fed
eral ofhcials. his mission was not
merely TO start propaganda against
the expectation of munitions to the
allies but also to stir up trouble be-
tween this country and Mexico. In
the latter respect 1t is said his efforts
were failure from the start.
The first important meeting Of the
peace council. which was ostenslbly
organized to promote the cause Of In
ternational peace. was held In Wash
ington In juno. Representative Buch.
anan was elected president, Fowler
general counsel. and Monnett was
named a member or the committee
on resolutions.
buchanan resigned July 81 and was
succeeded by Jacob G. Taylor. a lead
log labor union ofiicial of New Jer-
sey.
Won Rintelen. according to secret
service agents. finally discovered that
he was spending his money without
result. Some strikes were called. but
they failed to have any important ef-
feet on the expectation OF munitions.
The German agent decided to leave
the country. He first endeavored by
the aid Of Andrews d. Meloy. an
American mining promoter. to secure
an American passport. Failing in this,
he sailed under q Swiss passport,
using the name of Edward ". Gasche.
Meloy was subsequently arretsed and
turned States evidence.
When Won Rintelen was taken pris-
b.. 81