The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-03-27
INVESTIGATING
SED|T|ON AND
INTIMIDATION
Serious Charges Made Against
Foreign Born Residents
Found Not Substantiated
RECRUIT THREATENED
FOR JOINING CoLoRs
Young Man Reporting at Local
Station Today Tells of Ex-
perience in Rural District

Information as to alleged anti-re
cruiting riots, the drilling of troops
not organized under any state or ma
tiOnal military authority, and of sedi-
tious utterances purported to have
been made by various citizens of for
eign birth or descent residing in the
southwestern part of the state was
filed with States Attorney r. E. Nc
Curdy today by local representatives
of the United States army. Similar
advice probably will go during the
day to United States District AttOr-
ney Hildreth at Fargo.
A careful investigation which the
Tribune has made of these rumOrs
would indicate that the situation pos
sibly is not nearly so serious as it
would appear at first glance. Fresh
recruits for the coast artillery arriv-
ing here to report to the local recruit
ing station told of threats which had
been made against them by neighbors
in the southwestern part Of the state
when it became known they intended
to enlist. .-.
''1ll shoot you before you ever get
chance to join the United States
army" a neighbor boy said to one OF
the recruits, the latter claims, but he
admits no effort was made TO carry
out the threat. Rather indefinite
charges as to threats having been
made against members Of the nation
al guard, with a view to preventing
them from reporting for. service, were
not substantiated by positive proof.
A number of names Of persons alleg-
ed to have been guilty of making
threats and seditious statements have
been filed with military authorities,
and referred by them to the depart.
ment of Justice, and thorough inves-
tigation now Is under way.
What officers Say. '"'.'' .
Intimidation by speech is the d.
rect charge against these people,"
said federal officer this morning.
"The people in the neighborhood, it
seems, through fears for their own
safety, have kept quiet and have al
lowed a condition to develop which is
most unhealthy. Young men enlist
ing for service in the United States
.
been threatened with physical vio-
lence and even death. Numerous men
have been heard to say that il war
were declared they would do all in
their power to aid our enemy. Troops
have been drilling independent of any
state and national authority, and the
situation, to say the least, merits a
promp and careful investigation"
Complaints Reach Frazier.
Governor Frazier's mail this morn.
ing contained complaints from two
widely separated sections Of the state
of sedition and intimidation. There
was nothing very definite in the
charges from either point, but the
governors informant attempted to
convey the impression that much
more might be said buc for fear of
discovery. The writer's signed their
names, and seemed very positive in
their belief that something should be
done.
Church Societies.
The drilling in the southwestern
part of the state is reported by re-
cruits reaching Bismarck today to
have been practiced by a church SO
ciety. largely composed of foreign
born citizens or their descendants,
for several years past. A motley col
lection of arms principally confined
to shOtguns originally purchased for
service on jackrabbits, is said to be
used. The troops, it is said, have
been drilled in military evolution and
target practice, and have become
quite efficient amateur soldiers, it is
alleged.
Watch N. p. Bridge.
Militiamen were last night station
ed at the Northern Pacific $1,50O,00
bridge spanning the Missouri river to
offer postal protection. Twelve men
and three non-commissioned officers
of Company F, North Dakota First
infantry, under Lieutenant Ward
Preston, guarded the structure last
night and we're relieved at an early
hour this morning by members of A
company of Mandan.
Arrangements are only temporary
until the arrival Of Major Dana
Wright Of jamestown, commander of
the Second battalion, who is expected
in the city this afternoon. Whether
state troops would be placed at the
federal building in Bismarck and at
the state capitol could not 0e learned
from an official source this morning
Guard the High Bridge.
It was reported from jamestown to-
day that, while no official orders had
been received by Captain Gray of
Company H, members Of the guard
there expect to be ordered to Valley
City to protect the Northern Pacific
high line structure. Major Dana |
Wfieht was said to have left that city
I Continued on Page Three)