The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-12-30
Amazing Condition of AZ
fairs Comes to Light When
U. S. Grand Jury Acts.
TWO DOZEN ARE
NOW UNDER ARREST
Thirty-Three in All Taken
Into Custody by u. S.
Marshal ]. B. Perkins.
ALL HELD UNDER BOND
THE FEDERAL. GRaNL JURY

F.. EbEnSk SkaNI JURY
/ Jacksonville, Dec 29-Thirteen
/ white men from Suwance, and Co
lumbia counties. In this state.
were given hearings before the q.
s. Commissioner here today, on a
charge alleging conspiracy against
the draft law. one was held un-
. der one thousand dollar bond. tn.
others under five undred dollars
! each, to await the grand Jury ac-
ton.
Charged with forming a secret eatt,
/, bound society, known az The Patri-
! otics, for the purpose of raising the
!, draft, and ohstructing the recruiting
/ in the military forces OF the United
+, States, twenty four oe the thirty three
men indicted by the federal grand
jury at Gainesville. were arrested yes
| terday by United States Marshal
James B. Perkins. OF the Northern
district of Florida, and y. n. Boswell.
marshal of the Southern district
ine arrests yesterday resulted from
capture several weeks ago of five al
legged draft resfste1-s vhmo had barri-
caded themselves on Bumble ee Island
in the mouth of Suwanee river, be-
ties. 1t is believed that prominent
men are connected with the organiza-
tion, and the conspiracy discovered is
one of the most far reaching OF It's
kind discovered In the United Stsltes
since the entrance OF this country ints
the war.
In the overt acts charged in the In
6fctnlents It is alleged that David
Henry Wilson, IN fartherance of the
conspiracy. administered the oath OF
the secret organization TO Benjamin
Horace Sistrunk, in the Hart Ham
mock church in Lafayette county, Fla.
Another of the overt acts mentioned In
the indictments alleges that David
Henry wilson and Sonnie Sapp trans
ported Sistrunk and Rowe from the
church to Fishbone, Florida From
FIshbone it Is claimed that the men
were taken to the residence of one
Joe Hatch, on Sherod Island, and that
they were afterward transported down
the Suwanee river to Little Bumhie
Bee Islard
on receipt of the information that
the men had been arrested, District
Attorney John l.. Neeley, stated that
no details of the case beyond those
contained in the indictments would
be given out at present, as the trial
Will probably De nelu IN IL sHort NhiiS
at a special term of court TO be con-
vened at Gainesville. lie leaves todey
for Gainesville, and stated that when
the case is tried much of the evidences
will be OF q highly sensational nature.
Following is the brief section Of the
Espionage act which the men are
charged with violating:
Title / Section 5, of Espionage act
Who ever when the United States -
at war, shall wilfully cause, or attempt
to cause. INSTRUMENTATION, disloyaity.
rnutiny. or refusal Of duty in the mil
itary or naval forces OF the Unitsd
states. or shall willfully obstrucf the
recruiting or enlistment service OF the
United States to the injury or the ser
vice or OF the United States, shalt
ne punished by a fine OF not more than
SIC. 900 or imprisonment for not mors
than twenty years. or both.
Under section 81 of the Penal Coda
which is the section defining criminal
the grand jury at tbs
term OF court at Gainesville returned
an indictment charging that on the
Goth Of November, 1917, Tom Powell,
SCION I-ycurgus Wilder. Seth Osteen,
Cecil Osteen, Arthur Roberts, Worth
Roberts. Herbert Wilder, Mooney
Wilder. Winnie Green. Jack Leak.
David Henry wilson, "Hl4ain n 1toD-
erts w. d. Barnett, Sonnie sapp,,
Oscar Severance, Ira Gainey. joe
Hatch. Dora Hunt, Dave stephens.
Willie Bennett, James Bennett, l. II
emmett, VIII Mcpherson, Larry Sew
erance. Cordie Hunt, Ho!lie Hunt, Boo
Hunt, Lonnie Hunt, Kick Wilder.
and Sam Severance, and other per-
sons by name unknown TO the grand
i,,ry. violated title one, section OF
the Espionage act
The first four counts OF the fndict-
nent charge conspiracy TO cause DIS
LOYALTY and refusal of duty and at
tempts to cause Gisloyalty and refusal
Df duty In the military forces of tho
United States, while the United States
was at war, by opposing the United
States in. the local enforcement OF the
selective military service act OF May
18th 1917, through the medium OF
heir association together under the
style "The Patriotics" or some othe--
,anre and style to the Grand Jurors
unknown, organized and banded to-
,ether for the purpose of advising,
and assisting male per