The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-07
ANT|-DRAFT TRIAL
Topeka AgitatOrs Given Pre-
liminary Hearing Today.
Defendants Represented by
Corps of Lawyers.
ROBERTSON THE PROSECUTOR
Witness Says No TOpekans
Talked Against CONSUMPTION.
Secret Service Man Tells of
Talk With BrOwder.

With witnesses, defendants and at
torneys hemmed around by | crowded
court room, commissioners hearing in
the case of DR.. Eva Harding, Ike GIL
berg, Fred Felton,. Ernest Newman,
Raymond l. Moore. Leonora Warren
son, his wife, Earl r. Browder and
Prof George w. Klieghe, all charged
with conspiracy against the conscrlp-
ton law, began this afternoon here.
The Case is the outgrowth of
meeting held June at the Unitarian
church in Topeka wherein govern
ment officials allege anti-ccnscription
agitation was aroused. Kleighe is
being tried on enc count. The others
face two counts.
TN. Smith, Winfield; Jake Shepard,
Fort Scott; Ed Rooney, Topeka, and
ing the alleged anti-conscription agita-
tors
Robertson Represents U. S.
The hearing began late this after
noon with Fred Robertson, United
States district attorney, who is per-
sonally conducting the prosecution,
placing Oscar Schmidt, government
secret service man on the stand.
| Schmidt testified that he arrested
Browder at Olathe Browder, the wit
ness testified, told him (Schmidt)
that he spoke at the Topeka meeting
and also asserted that Browder said
that he didn't intend TO register and
| declared that he hoped those within
| the required age at the meeting didn't
register.
Browder told the witness he was
81 years old. p. M. Harmon, editor
*, "I,s
peka. was the next witness. Harmon
said he took an order from Ike Gill
berg for handbills to be used in ad-
vertising the meeting and that he de-
livered an order of 1000 to Gilberg's
| tailor shop on West Sixth street
! Percy c. Powell, State Journal re-
porter who was assigned to cover the
meeting, was the next witness.
The Governments Case.
The government, it was announced
by Fred Robertson, expects to show
by witnesses that Moore advised
against registration, and that Ike Gill
berg at the meeting called for a col
lection to be used for anti-conscrip-
ton purposes. The collection. Fob
ertson says, was taken and Gilbere
distributed anti-conscription ciIc GU
lars.
Browder, according to Robertson's
claimed witnesses, advised against
registration. Kleighe, it is charged
made Socialistic talk. Robertson
will introduce no evidence to the eff
feet that he advised against registra-
ton
The crowd in the court room Il
mostly women. Among them is Eliza
beth Barr, formerly of Topeka, wht
recently moved to Kansas City. Their,
she has been engaging in selling wa
bonds, making CONSUMPTION talks anC
engaging in work just the opposite
from that charged against the defend
ants She came to Topeka, however
for the purpose of going to the cour
room with DR.. Harding.
| r. w. Reed, on the reportorial stat
of the Kansas City Star and who at
tended the Unitarian church meeting
took the stand late this afternoon. anC
testified that none of the Topeka peo
pie talked at the meeting against con
scription.
The speeches opposing conscriptioi
he said were made by Raymond
Moore and Earl Browder, both o.
Kansas City.
Reed said that after listening to the
Kansas Citians talk about the poor
down trodden people he took thu
same train back to Kansas City
Moore and Browder were riding in
|. Pullman car.