The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-05-31
FIND ARMED PLOT
AGAINST DRAFT LAW
U. S. Discovers Conspiracy to
Balk CONSUMPTION.
GERMANS IN TEXAS BUSY
Department of Justice Declares Society
Was Organized to Intmidate Per-
sons Subject to Registration
Many Arrests Made.

Washington, May 29.-Official an
nouncement was made of plot to hin
der registration and to resist conscrip-
ton by an armed uprising against the
government. Eleven arrests have been
made and nine indictments have al
ready been returned by federal grand
juries.
The conspiracy is declared by the
department of justice to have had its
origin in Texas, where n society was
formed several months ago for the os-
tensible purpose of cooperative buy
ing. The members were required to
take secret oath.
after the enactment of the selec
tive draft law" says the departments
announcement, "a strong German influ-
ence succeeded in inducing the organ
ization to turn its efforts to combat
ting CONSUMPTION and high-powered
rifles were obta' ned to intimidate per-
sons subject to registration and the of
ficials who will be appointed TO per-
form the registration"
Roanoke. Va. May 29--William V,
Mccoy and ]. w. Phipps, mountain
GERS of this section, are held in Jail
while federal agents are gathering evil
dence to show they were attempting
to organize mountaineers to resist the
army draft Evidence gathered by
federal agents is that the two men
gathered about 300 followers, who
signed an oath and made plans to at
tack revenue agents and land owners,
blow up bank and railway bridge,
and divide the spells of their raid.
Grand Jury Is Busy.
Dallas, Tex, May 29-The federal
grand jury began investigating with
Il view to possible indictments on
charges of treason or conspiracy, the
perationS I'm west Texas of the Farm
ers' and Laborers' Protective associa-
ton, which is alleged to have opposed
selective CONSUMPTION.
Scores Of members were being
called before the grand jury to tell
what they knew of the associations
activities Many of the witnesses are
said to have resigned from the organi-
cation after they learned its real pur-
pose.
Opposes Draft, Arrested
Shreveport, La, May 29.-Federal
officers here arrested man who said
his name was A. ii. Ford, as he was
speaking TO crowd against the draft
law. He said he formerly was n gov
eminent employee Mt Panama.
Seven Arrested at Detroit
Detroit, Mich, May 29.-Nathan L.
Welch of Detroit, editor of the Mich
igan Socialist, was arrested by fed
eral officials after copies of Welch's
paper containing anticonscription ar
ticles had been seized. Six other men
have been arrested, charged with cir
culating the paper.
Advise to Resist Draft.
Lynn, Mass, May 29.--The police
began search for persons who dis
trbuted a number OF anticonscrip-
ton posters throughout the business
district. The Objectionable literature
which was pasted on windows and
nailed to billboards and electric light
poles contained such phrases as.
Don't Register, Organize meetings
and resist CONSUMPTION" The posters
were signed "The Workers" and dated
Portland, Me-, May, 1917"
Seek to Enjoin Governor.
Kansas City, Mo-. May 29.-An an
nouncemeF that INDUCTION proceedings
would be asked at once to prevent
Governor Gardner, the election com
mssioners, and Mayor Edwards from
enforcing the draft registration law
here, was made to the commissioners
by officers of the federation for dem
ocratic control"