New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-11
Men Near Its Headquarters
Said to Have Sold Wal
vers to Registrants
General Alarm Sent
Out for Officials
Conklipg and Guard From
Arsenal Take Over
Quarters

What amounted to general alarm
was flashed through the city last night
for a small automobile carrying three
local board draft exemptors.
The three were Louis |. Cherry, DR..
Henry w. Groehl and DR.. Samuel j.
Bernfeld, of District 80, and at the
time the alarm went out their head
quarters in Public School So, at Lewis
and Rivington Streets. had passed for
mally into the possession of Roscoe S.
Conklng, director of the city draft, and
a National Guard sergeant from the
state arsenal.
Had Notice of Removal
Nr. Conkling had with him set OF
documents addressed to the individual
members of the board, announcing their
summary removal from Office. The
notice. originating with President Will
son, had come down through the office
of the provost marshal general, Gov
ernor Whitman aad Adjutant General
stotesbury before it reached Mr.. Conk-
ling's hands. =,
All the draft director wanted to ma
the exemptors for was to serve the
notice of removal. Other authorities
including Chief Off1ey, Of the Depart
ment of Justices bureau Of investiga-
ton, we're looking for them with a
view to attaching their persons as the
first step in carrying out the govern
ment's order that the exemptors De
prosecuted to the full extent Oh INC
law"
Specifically what ne board members
are to be prosecuted lot 10 myseeiS
Rut in a general way it has been limited
for days past that gross irregularities
had been discovered IN their drait d!s-
trict, and that exemptions ana d,s-
charges we're being sold praetically
over the counter, like so mucn mer-
chandise.
No fewer than a half dozen commu-
nications to this effect had reached
Mr. Conkling, some anonymous ana
sorne signed. some arriving humbly on
nostal cards and others in the form OF
kilograms. These, after preliminary
investigation, Mr.. Conkling turned over
to Offley. -,
In some cases the informants said
thew had been solicited by men who rep
resented themselves as agents OF the
exemptors and offered bargain rates
on exemptions. In other communica-
tions it was asserted the board main
tained a "branch Office" in cellar near
its headquarters which was the scene
of money transfers. 80,
Mr.. Consling last night began still
hunt for the exemptors. Cherry, tne
chairman, was neither in his drug store
at AGA Grand Street nor in his living
rooms at the rear of the shop. His son
said he had gone somewhere IN an
automobile. At DR.. Bernfeld's home,
o73 Rivington Street, the same lnfor-
nation was given out. Right next
door. at 275 Rivington Street, was dis
played brass sign bearing the name OF
DR.. Groehl. the third member OF the
board. II was learned that Groehl, IN
stead of being resident OF the Juris-
diction of his board. as required by
regulations, maintained only oranch
Office there.
nue., Brooklyn, but it was said there
the doctor had left about s o'clock. He
is said to be brother of Magistrate
Groehl.
Exemptions Grew Daily
John Black, janitor OF the school, was
routed out of bed at his home, in East
Seventeenth Street, and opened the way
TO the local boards Offices. While
awaiting his coming, the city draft d.
rector had learned from dozen
sources that the three exemptors had
been seen together in a small motor
earlier in the evening.
Max Noble, chief clerk OF the board,
arrived in time to save the file CABINETS
from rough handling.
The records found in the cabinet
show that Board 99's rejected list grew
daily as the examinations continued.
ON the first examining day, August s,
I27 registrants went before the physl-
clans and only thirty-six OF them were
turned down, with nineteen held for re-
examination. The next day ninety-one
were rejected out of l75 examined
more than 80 per cent
On August only eighty-six out of
1919 were definitely accepted; on August
9 only fifty-seven out OF l67 were found
fit for lighting, and yesterday the
score was thirty-fve rejected to TWEEN
ty accepted, with seven cases hanging
fire.
Mr.. Conkling said that any arrests
impending would be made by the De-
partment of Justice, Of whose plans he
disclaimed knowledge.
Another board will be appointed, he
said, and set to work Immediately.
The registrants already passed upon,
whether qualified or discharged, will
be called in for determination and the
new board will proceed as if nothing
had been done at all toward raising
the districts quota
(Appelldte Draft Board begins its
work, on Page 3D.
PIattsburg Commissions