The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-09-08
Largest Number of Selected
Men Yet From This City
Leaves For Camp Devans
Many Friends See Them
Off.
Many Men of Military Ex-
perience Among Group
Sent Off Today-No More
Will Go Until September
Nineteenth.

The Department of Justice
has begun its activity in round /
ing up deserters from the draft.
The first man to be sent to
Camp Devans in custody of the
federal agents left Bridgeport
today. He was Thomas Speers
Of Easton who failed to report
two days ago. It was repre-
sented that he presented him
self for service two days late,
after a final spree.
The largest quota of men, yet
sent from Bridgeport, so in
number left on the 9:18 train
this morning, with about 200
persons present to witness
their departure.
While the cheers of those bidding
them good-by resounded and the con-
ffdent and grief stimulating replies
came from platforms. windows and
steps of the long train. above the
noise the heartbroken walls of moth
ers and sisters lent a sakidening aspect
to the scene.
Noticeable above all ELSE was the
number of military uniforms worn
today by members in the draft, which
included regular army National
Guard, Home Guard and Montana
Momltsd pelice, b1ousess hats and
leggings f
,Chafrmen of the various districts
declare that the number of men who
formerly served in some military
branch of this or other governments
is surprising and that those who pre-
viously have been in such service are
most anxious to be first in encamp-
ment. Because of this fact it is be-
Ieved that less trouble will be found
in accustoming the new men to camp
| than otherwise.
Among those to go today and SEEM
| ingly the most cheerful was Edward
Redgate, son of Superintendent of
Police Redgate. Father and mother
accompanied their son to the station
where he greeted by s. score of
friends who had come TO the train
to see him off.
Mrs. Redgate, though visibly ar
/ fected by the parting, was consoled by
! the father and through the foresight
| of the son. who bade a preliminary
| goodbye and was then the center Of
| a surging crowd of friends who ac-
! companied him to the train, the sting
of final parting was greatly mitiga-
! ted.
| Although it had been expected in
military circles that I Company, G. H
| c., would send a squad of men to the
station to bid hearty parting to r.;
F. Whitney of that organization. the
uniformed representation was missing
| today. Several friends and fellow
members saw him off however in
| civilian clothes
| Clarence j. Haggerty. of 205 Pixley
place, previously reported as a deser-
| ter, put in appearance at the train to-
day He showed conclusively that his
notification slip. had gone by naiscar-
riage to his previous home in Meriden
and he was sent away to-day.
In the Sixth district from which
Haggerty was missing and in which
| the largest number of desertions are
| reported, another man, Thomas. Viii
| ugia, did not show up today.
Because of the order that no men Of
1.-THE first five per cent. should be sent
/ to Aver on Sunday the largest dele-
CATION yet sent from lnlS CITY leIt To-
day. There will be no more depart
ures until Sept. 10 when 40 will be sent
lfrom each district followed daily by
a larger number than heretofore.
| In the second district, Robert Mar
Gus Atwater had not shown up at the
office of the board at $40. AN alter~
mate was detailed to- go in his place.
lFive minutes later Atwater came,
having through delays in the mail re-
ceiving his notification late. He asked
/ for half an hours time to go home
and say goodbye, pack his things and
Igo ~ He caught the train