Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-06
ALLEGED NUMBERS OF DRAWING
TELEGRAPHED ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY.
ORIGIN OF HOAX CAN
ONLY BE SURPRISED
Middle West-Branded as toax in
MISUNDERSTANDING Men Besiese
Newspaper and Public Offices to
Verify the Report.

What was at first thought to have
been a hoax of local origin regarding
| the drawing of numbers for conscrip-
| ton to the army now proves to have
! been a poor joke that became very
widely circulated. Later development e
showed that the same list of numbers
for Consumption was circulated in the
entire middle west, if not all over the
country.
1t is well established that the fake
numbers were circulated over bucket
shop" wires as far east as Washing
ton, d. c. The result was that Thurs
day afternoon the whole country was
stirred and telephone wires everywhere
were kept busy trying to confirm the
report and get list of the numbers.
Many Seek Notification.
AS a result locally the T.-R. office
sheriff's office and auditors office, the
local recruiting station, and many
other places where it was supposed
authentic information could be OBJ
tanned, were assaulted in force over
the telephone. A good many of those
who knew the rumor was untrue final
ly got tired trying to convince some
that it was all a hoax, SO firmly con-
WINGED were many that IL was all true.
Perhaps the fact that the numbers
came by wire gave some assurance
that the drawing had been made.
According to telephone message
F,n, - 4
Logan to County Auditor McLeland
this forenoon. the adjutant generals
office was swamped with telephone
calls regarding the rumor.
Explanation Of Origin.
Three explanations for the origin
have been suggested. One is that the
numbers originated in code message
that went over a grain brokers' wire
and was taken off by an operator. An
other explanation is that the numbers
originated in Peru, Ind, where they
were posted on the score board at a
baseball game.
Officials at Washington believed the
report that selections had been made
arose from the fact that many boards
have numbered their registration
cards and in some cases are publishing
the lists. as required by the regula-
tons. Provost Marshal General Crowd
er said the minute local boards are
completed and have numbered more
than 100000 cards the drawings can
be made. It is said the method Of
drawing the "key" numbers Of the
draft is practically complete and will
be explained In a few days in another
set Of regulations
No Drawing Until Later.
AS was stated in the T.-R story
Thursday denying the rumor, there
can sbe no drawing Of numbers until
all the registration cards have been
numbered, and the copies forwarded to
the adjutant generals of the respective
states. In this county the work Of
numbering the cards was only begun
Thursday afternoon, and will not be
finished until probably Monday. Each
county's exemption board is similarly
umbering cards. but it is not expect
ed that this work will be finished until
some time next week, and it may per-
haps be even later than that.
There is every assurance that the
government will give ample notice Of
the time and method of drawing the
numbers, so that every one will know
when it Is to take place.