The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-25
YfAGER'S hEIGHbORS
RALLY IN HIS BEHALF
buInbarton Man, Charged With Nio-
iating Espionage Law, is Dis
missed by T.. =. Com
missioner.

Hehrico county. arrested the latter part
Of August on 8 charge Of violating the
espionage act In that he was active in
stirring up opposition 10 the draft. was
, dismissed as the result Of his preliu-
mary hearing before United States
commissioner Melvin FleEenheiner
yesterday afternoon
Probably Of very much more signif-
canoe than the trial of YeaRer WAS a
remark let drop ny United states Dis
Flct Attorney Mann, In reply to a
declaration by counsel for the defense.
= NJ smith. Jr. when that gentleman
declared that the government should
70 after such men as La Toilette who
Was travelling over the country maxi
ing speeches which went A great deaf
further than Yeaser was alleged n
have gone In stirring up opposition to
the government's plans
Would 60 After His Game.
Mr. Mann quietly. bat very emphatf-
ealiy. remarked that something would
happen II the Wisconsin senator came
into his hailiwick with utterancex that
could be deemed seditious and Mr..
smith said he would he delighted TO
AID In the prosecution.
The case against YeaEer was based
largely on statements he vas alleged
To have made on P certain Saturday
night that preceding his arrest to
scott Carter. Of rear Dumbarton. in
Morecock's store at numharton. in
which he Is alleged m have remarked
that II the people stood together thew
would not have to go to France as
me men who we're endsavorinc 70
make them 80 knsw that they were
ln the wrong He was Furthermore
alleged to have declared that he would
u-e a gun TO defend himself against
the draft officials II he ware in the
draft.
Alleged He sef "EtpIosive" Language
. l. zones nesr neighbor while
apparently unwilling to attribute any
wrong motive to Mir Yeager. swore
that around month before war was
declared YeaEer had In a converse
/ tion with him. overheard hN= Jones son
declared that somebody ought 70 go
and blow that damn Wilson up"
IN defense q great number Of charac-
ter witnesses We're put on, proba bly,
afty ~ the leading citizens OF his
net& hoorhood, including twenty mem
eefs Of the mems SUNDAY school class
of which Yeager is a member. coming
- the city 10 testify in his behalf A
number declared that, Mr. Carter was
not At Mcrecocks store on the Sstur-
/ day night in question while Yeauer
+ vas declared to be man of few words
~ excellent reputation. and friendly
'+NtSA SMUT ~" INK 10 the great num-
Der ~ volunteer character witnesses.
the defense submitted its case with
out using up all the ammunition Of
/ this Kind Il was provided with
Give Him Clean Mn.
Among those who testified we're N
W Moreeock. merchant; his son, II
Moreoock w. 6 Rlackman an old
citizen Thomas staples who declared
thSt the srru&ed hard toid MIN thar n
i've
/ - would be Aghting under the nag
/ former Commissioner OF the Revenue
{ W Childress. who said that the sc
cussd was a man above reproach".
Rev. c. z schaitle. pastor of Bethany
Baptist church Justice Darricott. and
several others
+ Son of Confederate veteran
ON his own behalf YeaRer testified
that he and his father before him were
. natives Of Rockingham county. Nir-
gina that he VAS a Republican in ma
. tonHI elections hut voted the neu0-
cratic ticket In local elections because
they usually named the more suita h1e
men; that his father had served four
wears IN the Confederate army. that he
had expressed doubts. as had others
/ including Taited States Senator Hard
, wick. Of Georgia. ~ tho constitutional
/ ity of the draft law but that he nav,
8 cnrside ed thAt A settled question He
declared that he had made the state
! ueUt that # the Germans would come
( 10 this 7jde ~ the water all would take
| up arms without 4 draft
Denied All Accusations.
He de0lared that hf had made no
attempt 10 hinder the draft In anv
wav, that he had made use of no treas
enable or seditious language: and that
he did not recall having used the prasi-
dents name at all In his conversation