New-York tribune., 1917-08-14
u. S. Grand Jury Investi-
gates Rejection of Men
Physically Perfect
3 Held in $4,000 Bail
New Exemptors in District 80
Begin Work on East
Side

The Federal Grand Jury yesterday
began hearing testimony which, 1t Is
expected, will result in the speedy re-
turn of several indictments on charges
Of bribery and other violations OF the
selective draft law In Manhattan.
Shortly before noon, just as the
grand Jury was beginning its work.
Louis I. Chsrey and DR.. S. j. Bernfeld,
members Of Exemption Board No. 80,
and Kalman Gruher, their alleged
"hxsr," were brought from their cells
in the Tombs and arraigned before
United States Commissioner Samuel NJ,
Hitchcock. A technical charge Of con-
spring TO defeat the Federal draft law
was brought against all three.
Released on 5000 Bail
They were released on bail Of $4,000
each 70 await the findings Of the grand
Jury. Commissioner Hitchcock had
held Gruher under a bail of $2,5Oo, but
a stsnographer, in preparing the pa
pers, by error made Gruher's bond read
$4,000. This mistake was called to the
attention of Isadore z. Schlesinger, at
tornsy for Gruher. who shrugged his
shoulders and said:
Let II stand. 1t makes no differ
enee."
Several witnesses were examined yes
terdsy by the grand Jury, which. ac-
cording TO John c. Knox and Edward
NJ. Stanton. Assistant United States
District Attorneys, will receive testi-
mony for several days in the cases Of
the members Of Board No. SO.
"I think I can promise all three men
sneedy Justice" said Mr.. Knox yester-
day. "The law will move as feetly as
Mercury for them. Wen see TO that
In the meantime, the United o'a'es
District Attorneys Office Is cooperat-
ing with William NJ. Ofley, superin-
tendent of the local bureau OF lnyes-
tigstions Of the Department. OF Jus.
t;es in running down complaints of
irregularities in the operations OF
other local exemption boards.
az think that on the whole the ad-
ministration of the draft has been alb
solutely fair and honest in Manhat,,
tan" said Mr.. Knox. "But we stand
ready TO smash into any board doing
anything off color.
Other Irregularities Investigated
eve sro investigating carefully re-
ports Of other irregularities in New
York boards. We haven't learned any
thing definite Gs yet, and so l cannot
state If they are legitimate complaints
or simply the vsporings OF disgruntled
persons who think they have been dis
criminated against
at seems to me that the thing for
tho members of other exemption boards
TO do is TO communicate with this office
and bring about the immediate arrest
of persons who approach them with
bribes. Well do the rest. The trouble
with many of the letters we have re-
ceived charging irregularities IN the
operations of other local boards, Is
that they are anonymous.
ave urge that complaints be signed.
We will keep secret the names OF our
informants, just as we are not making
public the names Of those who VIII
testify in the present investigation
into the activities Of Board No. 99."
The investigation into the opera
tions of Board No. 90 is developing
new irregularities hourly, according to
Department Of Justice men. Mr.. Knox
has received the names of three men
all physically perfect-who were ex-
empted. Reports of ten other similar
cases have been received, and are now
under investigation.
Altogether, Federal officials say,
they have received forty letters telling
OF irregularities in the examination
and exemption of men for the draft
army. Some OF these letters refer to
Board No. 80. But complaints also tell
of Irregularities in another district on
the lower East Side, district in Har-
lem and one IN Brooklyn. They are
all being Investigated.
New Board Begins Work
The newly organized Board No. 90
began work yesterday in the school at
Rivington and Lewis Streets. Deputy
State Attorney General Roscoe S. Conk-
ling motored over to the East Side at
noon and swore in two new members OF