Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-11
DRAFT DODGER
PLEADS GUILTY
Frederick j. Becker First to
Be Indicted for Refusal
to Register
"MARTYR FOR GERMANY"

Frederick j. Becker. 5415 Chestnut strsnt
pleaded guilty today before Judge Thomp.
son, in the United states District Court Of
"wiufuly refusing to register" for army
draft June s.
II am a martyr for Germany" he wa.
quoted as telling a deputy United States
marshal as he was being taken into the
courtroom. II will be better. fed In jaIl
than in the trenches"
what will happen to your wife and
three children IL you go to jail?" he was
asked,
lie shrugged his shoulders.
what will happen to them II l 70 "a
the trenches?' was his response
Becker. who is the first man to be in.
dcted in Philadelphia by the Federal Grand
Jury for failure to register, was composed
as he faced Judge Thompson. He seemed,
however to be laboring under great mental
excitement, which he repressed.
The prisoner who is OF German descent
was employed as an oyster opened in Osten,
dorffs restaurant He is said to have as
serted repeatedly that he would not regis
ter i'm spite of the fact that the selecfiv.
Conscription bill provides a penalty OF A
year in prison for such obduracy.
Frank l.. Gabarino and his stan Of
agents OF the Department of Justice are
continuing their Investigations OF all cases
on men who failed to register June s or
attempted to prevent others from register
ing, or were concerned in any frauds or
Irregularities during registration.
Charges Of irregularity in the Fifth
District have been made by Martin L.
Foley. 2O3 North Fifth street, who says
he was forced out of his place as clerk
on the afternoon Of registration day.
This. it is said, resulted from the absenoe
Of Dr. william c. Ryan, 251 North Fifth
street, a member Of the board first ap.
pointed, who was called as a medical re-
serve officer to Fort Benjamin Harrison
on June 4.
The vacancy was not filled until the after
noon of Registration Day, when William
Knouff. proprietor of cigar store at 2s7
North Fifth street, presented himself at the
boards headquarters in the police station,
at Fourth and Race streets, as Doctor Ryan's
successor. According to other members Of
the board, Knouff had a letter from Mayor
Smith
The Grand Jury investigation came
through the allegation OF Foley He testi-
fed before the Grand Jury that he had
been ousted as one of the clerks at
o'clock, upon the arrival of Knouff as DO.
litically obnoxious to Select Councilman
Thomas j. McGinnis, Democratic leader Of
the Sixth Ward. Foley also said that
Knuoff had been substituted for the absent
Ryan through the influence OF McGinnls
with the Mayor.
The Mayor said yesterday that he did
not remember anything about such an ap-
pontment but Daniel J. Connolly, one Of
the local board, stated that Knouff had q
letter from the Mayor.
In fact" added Connolly, in talking about
the situation, II have already sent the
Mayor letter stating that l think the
whole matter is a mess"
When he was asked regarding Foey's
testimony, he said, II don't think that
Foley was dropped. l think that they
were hot on his trail all day and that he
quit" When he was asked to specify to
whom he referred as on Foley's trail" he
said II mean that McGinnis was after
him all day and that he got tired and lacked
the job.
81 got Knuoffs oath of office from Tom
McGinnis" he continued. "and sent II to-
Adjutant General Stewart. as the law re-
quiTes."
Knuon told the circumstances OF his ap-
pOntment as follows: II was asked sew
eral weeks ago to serve In fact, several Of
us were asked. l got a letter from the
Mayor on the 5th of June and went to the
station house, where I reported to Con-
nelly ] don't know whether McGinnis was
responsible for my appointment or not"