Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-03-23
Chartered at Board Of Trade
Building, Where Armed
Guard will be Kept.
DUTY is KEPT SECRET
Y. M. c. A., K. Of c. and Thea
tres Thrown Open to Sailors
Under Lieut.. WhitbeCk

A detachment of u. s. Coast Guards,
consisting of seventy-five men, arrived
in this city last night, arriving at the
docks of the Boynton Company on the
tug Emma Kate Ross from the barge
office in New York. The men were
completely equipped, with iron beds
and other things needed for a perm
anent stay in this city, and marched
from the water front to the Board OF
Trade building In Smith street where
they took UP their quarters on the
third floor.
The men are in charge Of Lieutenant
j. E. Whitbeck, who said this morn
ing that they had been ordered here
by Captain Of Port G.. L. Garden from
the headquarters in New York: Just
the business OF the company In this
city could not be learned, as news of
this sort Is contained in secret orders
The men who are all new recruits,
and they will be drilled and put in first
class shape, and 1t will take consider
able time to get permanently establish
ed in their new quarters here. Be-
ginning next week regular drills will be
held on the Copper Works field
The men in the detachment are
from all over the country. Lieuten-
:, ant Whitheck satdnfhis morning that
~ 49, NJ! ~ l.l IT, slty would be per-
mHnefR !uHsd 41tGt the detachment
would number from sixty to seventy
men,
The. men arrived in this city in
charge Of Lieutenant j. E. Stko. but
as soon as arrangements are complet-
ed here Lieutenant Stiko will return
to New York, leaving Lieutenant
Whitbeck in full command.
Armed guards patrol the street in
front of the building since the arrival
OF the men and Lieutenant Whitbeck
said that these guards were maintain
ed as a. measure Of drill, and to keep
in toNch with the men.
The officer wishes it understood by
the saloons and hotels of the city that
this Is military organization, part
of the United States Navy and the
law regarding the selling of liquor to
soldiers and sailors must be obeyed.
II 1t is found that q saloon or hotel
Is selling drinks or giving drinks or
allowing a sailor to "steal" drinks,
they will be closed up at once until
the end Of the war, and will not be
given q second, third or fourth
The Y. M. G. A. has been thrown
open to the man, including the pool
tables. swimming pool and all other
parts Of the building where amuse-
ment may be found. Like action has
also been taken by the Knights of
Columbus, and their rooms will be at
all times open to the men. and they
them. Tickets have been given the
men by Counihan and Shannon, ad-
mittipg them free of charge to the
Strand and Majestic theatres. and
many Of the sailors will be allowed to
attend these theatres tonight.
AS the order of the officers and
the tramp of feet and rattle of mus
= - A.
started up Smith street, yesterday at
ternoon, business stopped and every
thing for the time being stood at q
standstill. Customers f1ocked from
the stores and shops, clerks arH pro-
prietors left the stores and rushed to
the front door to obtain a glimpse Of
some of the boys. The boys, although
still almost raw recruits, made a
great showing.
Lieutenant Whitbeck said today
that he intends to give the boys u
hike of ten or twelve miles within a
few days. taking rations from this
city which they will prepare enroute
The men were being drilled this
morning on several streets.
The detachment has a most COM
plete home on the third floor Of the
Board Of Trade building, the large
auditorium on the top floor having
been remodeled for them. Work on
fixing the quarters has been going on
for the past week, but as all govern
ment work of this kind is done under
cover. nothing was generally known
of the order to send the men here
until they arrived yesterday. The
office of Lieutenant Whitbeck is on
the second floor of the building where
all business will be transacted. Arm
ed guards are stationed at the stair
ways and on each floor Of the build
Ing.