Evening star., 1917-09-28
GRAND JURY HOLDS
MORE THAN 16O ON
SED|T|ON CHARGES
|. w. w. Leaders Face Six
Years in Prison and Fines
of $1,000 Each.
EVIDENCE HELD BY U. S.
WEIGHS MORE THAN TON
Conspiracy Against War Activities
of Government Extended Into
Practically Every State.

More than 100 leaders of the Indus
trial Workers of the World, engaged in
the alleged nationwide conspiracy to
hamper the government in carrying on
the war, have been indicted by the
federal grand jury at Chicago, it was
announced at the Department of Justice
today.
Indictments are to be handed in to the
court probably late today. Between $50
and 40 persons. resident in almost every
section of the country. are named in the
indictments.
Seditious conspiracy-the crime near
est.to treason within the definition of the
criminal code-is charged. This offense
is punishable by six years imprison-
ment or 5000 fine. or both.
Got Evidence in Raid.
Indictments are understood to be based
upon revelations brought to light in the
countrywide seizure September by
federal authorities of documents and
correspondence of the 1. W. W. in ap-
proximately fifty towns and cities.
William c. Fits, the assistant attorney
general, under whose direction the ma
tion-wide raid was carried out without
a hitch. is in Chicago today in personal
charge of developments.
These documents are understood to
have revealed the existence of a conspir-
acy. the most far-reaching in its scope
of any yet unearthed, to embarrass the
government in the prosecution of the
war by resistance to the draft law, by
fomenting labor disturbances, by burn
ing crops and forests and in numerous
other ways.
Within Narrow Circle.
A comparatively small coterie of men
Is understood to have directed the en-
tire movement.
Officials here feel that in many in
stances the alleged ringleaders of
these antf-war activities are virtually
guilty of treason. but because Of the
narrowed Nennition OF treason in the
criminal code and in numerous court
decisions it was thought best to ask
the grand jury to find indictments on
the broader charge of seditious con-
spiracy.
Section six Of the criminal code. un-
der which it is understood the indict-
ments have been found. reads as fol-
lows:
IF two or more persons in any state
or territory or in any place subject to
the jurisdiction of the United States
conspire to overthrow, put down or to
destroy by force the government Of the
United States, or to levy war against
them. or to oppose by force the author
ity thereof or by force to prevent, him
der or delay the execution Of any law
Of the United States, by force to
seize. take or possess any property of
the United States contrary to the
authority thereof. they shall each be
fined not more than $1,000 or impris-
Evidence Weighs a Ton.
The evidence laid before the grand
jury, which was of such volume as
actually to weigh a ton or more, is said
to show nationwide conspiracy to
hamper the governmentdn in almost every
conceivable way, with ramificationS
into practically every state.
1t concerned anti-draft demonstra-
so-called strikes. burning of wheat
fields, burning of timber which the gov
ernmept was planning to use for air
plane construction and continuous
from hustings and soap box. There
was evidence that German money was
plentifully supplied as shown in many
letters and Cancelled checks.
as prime movers in the great conspir-
ecy, with a large number of agents act
Ing under their orders.
One feature which the investigation
brought out sharply was the large, al
most predominating. membership of
Austrians in the ranks of the I. w. w
zeal organizations. and also the large
membership of the various races which
comprise Austria-Hungary. Thousands
of these men. unrestrained because the
United States is not at war with Aus
tria, federal investigators have found
have been free to carry on whatever
activities were planned.
Officials in Chicago Silent.
CHICAGO. September 2s.-FederaI
officials in Chicago today continued
their policy of silence on the activities
Of the grand jury which has been in
vestigating !. w. w. and kindred or
gapiZations.
There was early no hint of when in
dictments would be returned in court
or whether they might not he nresept