The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-25
Business Is Making Sketch Maps and It Causes Lot
 of Inconvenience
ARRESTED SIX
 TIMES ALREADY
Fact That He Was Born in China Has Also Been Source of More or Less Embarrassment
 During Visit
By JEFF BAILEY

Of Scandinavian parents; born fin
 Shanghai, China; residing for
 many years in foreign countries;
 arrested six times in Birmingham
 as suspected spy; hauled down
 town each time either to be in-
 terviewed by a government secret
 service man, the sheriff of Jeffer-
 son county, the city police or Com
 missioner Watts. Frank A. Law
 renee is beginning to feel that he
 is about as popular i'm Birmingham
 as hair-lipped old maid of 200
 avoirdupois at May festival, and
 If there is anything in the old say
 ing that sit wears like pigs
 nose," he believes that the creator
 of that phrase was speaking of
 his patience and that old Brother
 Job was an amateur in the "for-
 bearance. forgive and forget
 league" compared to himself.
 Lawrence came to Birmingham a few weeks ago under contract with the Ala. bama Engraving company to make. { birdseye view of Birmingham in mar form, such as he has made in Washing ton, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City ant Chicago. but that was before every cit izen who feels that he must do his bit began to spy spies in jealous attempts to serve his country
 Lawrence is particularly peeved H, doubts all legends, much less reality. O southern hospitality. He believes tha he should be let alone for admitting tha he was born in China, for his parent were visiting an uncle in Shanghai wher he was born, and especially when he i. armed with a raft of credentials tha would make the average charity solici tor feel that he was poorly recommended He is a truthful man, and what he can not understand, much less appreciate, i why he is dragged into private confer ences day in and day out only to b, asked the same questions, and gazee upon with keen suspicion.
 Where were you born?'' goes the frs question.
 shanghai. China comes the answer
 'Uh, huh!' as the one in authorit, gazes at him, and looks from one t, another of those who have accused him nodding head knowingly.
 What are you doing here?" question number two. se
 "Sketching the streets and industrie. in order to make birdseye view mar of Birmingham" impatiently comes tn, answer.
 "Oh. yes see. and you were sketch. ing the plant of the So-and-So company
 "Yes, as I expect to do every street and building in Birmingham before have concluded my contract here" echoes the answer. ''I have here a letter from Commissioner Watts granting me that privilege" Produces the letter.
 Well, that don't get you anthing, 2 says Mir. Soldier man. You could. have gotten that under false pretenses anC still be making maps for the enemy" an6 down town MT. Lawrence goes from the guardsmen's camp to talk it over witt Mir Murray or MT. Hanna in the Frs National Bank building.
 And so it goes from day to day. unti Lawrence is all filed up, acutely peeved He has been arrested by soldiers. police men, deputy sheriffs and every citize1 who sees him making a sketch sees 6 great catch and calls for the proper mar to take him in.
 He has letters identifying him, and he is easily recognized by the description given, being tall and angular, with g black moustache and apparently about 55 years of age. He is an expert drafts man and mapmaker, and has followed this trade for many years.
 But-here comes the citizens side, the officers viewpoint
 Lawrence hastily draws up to build ing. an industrial plant. for instance whacks out his sketch book. begins tt draft a pen picture of the plant. the of- fee building or what-not, hastily look ing from one side to the other gettine the lines into his eye first which he i'm. mediately scratches on his pad. The cit izen the soldier or the officer who hap. pens to see him immediately can thinl of but one thing, and that is "spy" Ant quite right he might be in any number of cases, except in this particular one but he does not know that until MT Lawrence is made to show down, ther b cling a bit suspicious. and always zeal ous to do his duty, he wants to pas! the suspect to another, higher in author ity and he does. MT. Lawrence Is lib erated, nasty in disposition, and less en thusiastic over making showing for tn, Magic City, but goes out again and trie! to get away with his job. Arrestet again, but how can you blame the guard fans of the nations assets, her indus tries? You can't. So what are you go ing to do about it?
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