New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-10
Draft Physician
Under Suspicion
In Bribery Case
Reported Man Physically
Exempt When Able to
Pass Perfectly
Registrars Watched
Several Arrests Planned by
Department Of Justice
Officials

Officials Of the Department Of JUS
tice. aided by the American Protective
League, yesterday began an investiga-
ton into the reports of attempted
bribery of draft officials by registrants
and their relatives. 1t is expected that
this inquiry will result in the appre-
hension of several malefactors among
registrants and draft officials within
the next thirty-six hours.
Captain William 0fFley, division SUI
perintendent. said that evidence had
been collected which was prima facie
presumptve OF dishonest attempts to
avoid service. Captain Offley was SAN
guine in the belief that within a short
time his labors would be rewarded. He
is being aided in this work by United
States Marshal Thomas d. Mccarthy,
District Attorney Caffey and officials of
the American Protective League.
League Rounds Up Slackers
This league has for two month fsbeen
rounding up slackers. 1t is officially
recognized by the Department of JUS
tice and has established branches
throughout the country. At the request
of Captain Oifley, the league has turned
its attention to reports of bribery.
One of the reports received yester-
day by the department was that of an
attempt made to bride member of
draft board in the upper part of the
city. According to this report, the
registrant was unsuccessful, but he re-
turned later. A physician connected
with the board came into the Office with
the registrant and announced that
grave error had been made in passing
him physically. as he was "a sick man
and all broke up The members of
the board, suspicious of the circum
stances under which the physician had
made his report, requested another
physician TO examine the registrant.
"lf that fellow is sick" the second
physician is allegas to have reported,
ard like to know what's the matter
with him. He is perfect physical
specimen"
Captain Offley said that he is in re-
csipt OF many letters from persons
notifying him Of individual attempts to
bride the members of boards and
physicians. One of these communica-
tions declared that the son of a wealthy
family had handed $4,000 in cash to
a member of the board which sat on
his case.
"Of course, such communications are
ridiculous" said Captain Of'ey, "and
we don't take any notice of them. But
we are certain that there have been
attempts made to bride officials and
physicians We will spare no efforts
to round up the ones who are guilty,
and when we have apprehended them
they may be assured that the law will
take care of them to its fullest extent
$500 Bride Offered Official,
According to an official indirectly
connected with the Department OF JUS
tice. most of the attempts at bribery
have taken place on the East Side and in
The Bronx. The sums OF money offered
to officials and physicians range from
So to as high as $500.
at may surprise the people of this
city to learn that New York did not
nave so many slackers on registration
day." said this official. "Our investi-
cations have revealed that the number
of those who failed to register was sur
prisingly few.
"Many more would have failed to
register had it not been for the pub
lished reports that only 10 per cent OF
those registering would be asked TO
report for examination. They took
chance, figuring that If they were
called for examination it was 10 TO
shot. But they made up their
minds when they registered that they
would claim exemption with every