New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-01
Foe Trounced
And City Saved
BY Boy Scouts
Invaders Rout Police and
Militia, According to
Theoretical Report
Last Stand Succeeds
Enemy Wiped Out by Single
Novelty Hall and Man
haitian Rescued
Last Stand Succeeds

New York avokc yesterday 90 find
an enemy fore, in possession OF the
upper end o. Manhattan Island. With
out waiting for word from Washington.
war had arrived.
Break Of dawn saw d great battle un-
der way. The National Guard req
ments Of the ci,y, rushed out as
first line. were crump.ed up in a couple
Of hours. Comm s>ioner Woods sent
out his whole police force and after
them the Home Defence League. Theirs
was the fate Of the guard.
The enemy paused and entrenched
But he only wanted TO get his breath.
Plenty Of the day was left in which
to achieve has goal--city hall, seat Of
the municipal government, hcadguar-
tiers Of the proud and defiant Mayor
Mitchell. heart OF the invaded metrop-
oils.
When the enemy again moved for
ward, horse, gun and foot, it seemed
the hall was doomed. What forces had
New York left 70 oppose his progress ?
None, you might say, ofhand. But
you'd be forgetting. - yoUr ofhanded-
ness, the United States Boy Scouts.
Some quick thinker in the threatened
city hall sent word of the impending
attack 70 Brigsdier General T. Walker
Winch, chief of the Boy Scout staff
Eanawo1 lErvrk 90
colonies; the colonies TO their ma ors
the majors TO their captains; the cap
tains TO their patrol leaders.
Swift bicycle riders carried the fiery
cross through town, east side, west
side and all around-even into farthest
Brooklyn.
By 8 o'clock in the afternoon a tao
teal division Of Scouts had assembled
in city hall park. The six or seven
hundred that modified kept the city
hall safe. In proof of which, there you
will find il this morning, at the same
old stand.
For the first hour of their Inobiliza-
ton this last line OF defence deployed
in Broadway and Chambers Street and
Park Row-stu6y soldiers of eight
years and up. khaki-clad infantrymen
armed with % Winchesters and air
rifles. cavalrymen on restives bikes,
naval militiamen from Brooklyn, Girl
Scouts from Greenpoint, ready 70 take
their brothers places on the firing
line; the Martha Washington Nursing
Corps. in regular Red Cross uniforms,
and artillerymen with real machine
guns and feld pieces that looked real
enough for al practical purposes.
Just 10 reassure the 5000 or so civ
iians who gathered as close under the
wings Of the protecting army as police
lines would permit, a half-dozen bugle
and ffe and drum corps kept the air
a-thrill with martial music In the
mean time a hundred other Scouts in
plain clothes mingled with the throng
looking for spies For all their vigil
ance word must have got back TO the
advancing enemy. The advance stopped
before the first contact The enemy
finding himself expected and prepared
for. evsporated.
There was nothing left for the Scouts
70 do but 10 parade in triumph under
the windows of the Mayors Office
Mayor Mitchell had gone 10 Atlantic
City il developed. Doubtless he will
be able TO explain with honor his rea-
sons for departing, though as things
came out be might safely hav~ stayed.
General Winch, when the review was
over and the movie men had finished
their deadly and crack companies of
Scouts had met in sham battle for want
Of a n n one. told Theodore Rousseau
what the army had accomplished and
was heartily thanked.
Then General Winch turned around
and thanked his trusty men, extending