The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-12
WILLARD FILM MEN
FACE ARREST TO-DAY
Charged With Crossing the
Legal Line by Border
Photographic Kusc.
SEVEN MEN ARE INDICTED

SYRACUSE, N. T.. April 11.-Copics Of
indictments returned BY the Federal
Grand Jury here against six New York
men and one Canadian. charging con-
spIracy TO violate the law ny importing
motion pictures Of the Wiliard-Johnson
heht into the United states from Can
ada. have been sent to the United
States District Attorney al New York.
and the arrest OF nve Of the men Is ex-
pected at once.
The men under indictment are Harold
T. Edwards of the law firm OF Oiney e.
Isaac {. V. Clman. manager
OF the Duplex Film Corporation: Harry
A. Fishbeck. cinematograph operator:
James J. Johnston. manager OF Madison
Square Garden: W. v. Brymer. Lawrence
NJ. D. Mcclure. president Of the Real
Estate Dealers Association OF New York.
and J. J. Orknay. who had charge Of the
Canadian Aims OF the fight.
United States District Attorney Dennis
b. Lucey prepared the cases for the
Grand Jury and the indictments were re-
turned. Mr.. Lucey had copies for
warded last Saturday with an urgent re-
quest that warrants be issued and the
mon arrested. Al the same time Mr..
Lucey sent Federal agents to Rouse's
Point. y. y. where the pictures were
being transferred from the Canadian TO
American hlms. to seize the machines
and nlms. but the outfit had been re-
moved.
Five OF tne men concerned III the re-
cent III to get the Wiilard-John.on
pictures into this country by .ephoto-
graphing them across the Canadian boz :
der line near Rouse's Point. n. ", prob.
ably will he arrested to-day by the Fed
eral authorities here. The defendants
are h TO he arraigned before United
States Commissioned lioughton fot sc.
inoval to Syracuse.
The criminal proceedings begun
against .he moving picture men are taken
ss an indication that the Federal au
,horities OF the NetheTn District OF New
York are confident OF their ability 70
prove that the reflection % the ligh;
waves across the Canadian bUsder IN the
,ephotog' apling of the films constituted
an act OF importation within the mean
ing Of ii& law. which. they will contend
applies not only to the physical materia'
Of the film Itself, but TO the picture as
well.
II the Federal authorities had no
been 80 confident Of their ability To show
that the rcphotographic device was
merely u ruse TO evade the law. II IL be
lieved that they would have tested the
question by means OF a civil proceeding
to confscate the films rather than havo
recours to the criminal courts.
An unsuccessful attempt was made to
import the pictures OF the Willard-JohE.
son night shortly after willard had
knocked OUT the colored champion al
Havana. All efforts on he part Of the
promoters in that connection were un'
successful and 10 further attempt was
made TO get around the ia~ until the
early part OF this month. when the pic
lures were shipped TO Toronto ano
turned over to the Universal Film Com
pany OF Canada. 4 party Of men thel
proceeded to the Canadian border from
this city. equipped with the rephotc
GRAPHING outhi
\ tent was erected oi the border line
half In Canada and half In the United
States. and In this tent the rephOto'
graphing took place. Daring the process,
the original pictures remained well in
side OF Canada and the rephotographinl
ma chine on this side of the border line
Deputy surveyor Richard Parr Of thu
customs service here was present to sc.
that no ones foot slipped over the line