Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-18
FEDERAL OFFICERS
TAKE ALIEN ENEMY
FROM OTTAWA JAIL
PETER BACKES is REMOVED TO
SOMEWHERE IN U. S. A."-WAS
ARRESTED HERE AS MENACE
TO NATIONS SAFETY.

Peter Backes. Elk's porter, who
was nabbed on Wednesday, May 3,
and held a prisoner at the county jail
pending disposition Of his case by
federal operatives, late yesterday
afternoon was taken from his cell in
the. local bastile. rushed to a Rock
Island train and whisked away from
Ottawa to somewhere in the Z. 5.
A.
Backes was first arrested when in
formation wac sent to Hinton Cla-
bauehs office notifying the Chicago
branch Of the department of justice
there was something's in connection
with the porter's conduct that were
net at all regular III view OF the pres
ont strained relationship between
Germany and America. Ho was for
mally siezed as an allen enemy" but
later was charged upon presidential
warrant with being IA menace to the
safety of the United States"
The arrest of Backes is the fourth
70 have been made in the Chicago dis
trCt, two of them having been brought
about in Ottawa Ed Schunax, a pol
ISL cobbler, was siezed while at his
work in James Virgillio's shoe repair
shop, and without any more ado was
taken to Chicago where he continues
20 be a prisoner
No warning was given Schumax
and he did not even suspect he was
Icing watched. MI. Virgllio tells
that a man appeared at the shop, mo-
toned for SchumaX to follow him
and that is the last seen or heard of
him from that time on. He is sup
POSED to be held at the Cock county
,ai.
No intmation was made by secret
service men yesterday as to what dis
position would be made of Backes
1t is probable that hc will be sub
| jected to close examination and 1atei
moved TO some one of the federal in
toinment camps for close watchint
during the remainder of the war.
The Chicago Tribune, in telling o
Backes' arrest. says.
"PeLer Backes, the fourth alien en-
cmy to be arrested in the Chicago dis
trict On orders from the president
Vas interned yesterday by federal of
iicials.
"Moager information given out by
the officials indicated that he is sus
pected OF being tool of the German
spy system. The formal charge GOV
oring his arrest is that he Is "a men
lco to the safety Of the United
States"
Arrested in Ottawa.
"Backes was first arrested in Otta
wa, H., ten days ago Yesterday he
was brought to Chicago by United
states marshals.
His antiiAn;erican activities arc
1aid to have been carried on chiefly
N Chicago, though for the last two
years he was employed as chef ano
potter at the Elks' cmg in O..awa
His employment in Ottawa, according
to government officials. was probably
o blind" to conceal enemy operations
in 1914 when the war broke oul
Backos was on his way to Canada
where he was subsequently arrested
and placed in detention camp, He
escaped from the camp and made his
way to Chicago
! Man of intelligence.
"l}acKes has been watched for some
/ time by operatives of the department
Of Justice. He Is 81 years old ant
| said to be a man of considerably more
! intelligence than his ostensible Occu
patton would indicate.
ed. Schumax Polish cobbler EN-
ployed in IN Ottawa shoe shop, ha
also been arrested by federal agents
| An investigation is being made to as
certain whether he was secretly il
Backes' employ.
GAIN KhICCD nlIHuT