The sun., 1918-09-07
BAYONET ARRESTS
LAID TO De WOODY
Gregory Subordinate Here Di-
rected Draft Methods That
Aroused Resentment.
DEFIANT OF CRITICISM
Net Total of Crusade Is Cap
ture Of 1,569-Army Slow
to Accept Them.

New York's three day Stacker raid was
planned In accordance with general In
structions from the Department Of Jus
tice In washington for the apprehen-
sion Of all draft dodgers. Its mode OF
operation was devised by Charles De
Woody, chief Of the departments in
vestigation bureau In this district; A.
M. Briggs. president OF the American
Protective League. and other New York
advisers.
In other words. Accomplishment
Gregory some time ago directed his
subordinates throughout the country to
round up all violators of the selective
service law and left to them the method
of compliance. At what he considered
the proper time Mr.. De Woody arranged
the methods Of seizure in the metropoli-
tan district and set the days for them
He had no specific instructions from
the Attorney General. but the latter
knew that the raids were coming OF. al
though unacquainted with the details
Of the programme.
O'Brian to Go Back To-day.
This seems a fair statement Of the
responsibility for the undertaking and
the way in which It was carried through
The questions the Department OF Justice
Is now trying to answer, through the
investigation Of John Lord OBrian, spa
cial assistant to the Attorney-Ge General
who came to New York from Washing
ton yesterday, are whether undue hard
ship or annoyance was inflicted on limo
cent persons. whether instructions from
Washington were exceeded and whether
, Nl.@ ~tO hN~ q n
Mr.. O'Brian expects to return to Wash
ington this afternoon and will report
personally to Mr.. Gregory. He has no
as yet reached any conclusions.
A policy of "hands Off, until instruc'
tions are received from Washington ha,
been adopted by army officers at CamI
Dix, Wrightstown. n. j., in dealing will
alleged slackers arrested by Department
of Justice agents in northern New Jer
sey cities and rushed there for induction
into service.
Approximately $50 men have beer
sent to Camp Dix under guard. and al
day headquarters offices were flooded
with requests from friends. Inquiries
from politicians and pleas from families
Of many Of the men who say they have
in no way violated the draft laws
Under whose orders the details were
, say yesterday. The draft rules say spe
officially that only a draft board can or
der a man sent to camp for induction
| into service. but many OF the men as
| sert that they were never allowed e
/ appear before draft boards. but were
| hustled to camp by Department OF Jus
tice agents.
Few had the papers which the Law
says must accompany every recruit sem
| TO camp. Several OF the men now in tn,
detention camp have their registra tior
cards. showing that while they were
listed in Glass IA they were assigned tc
Emergency Fleet classification or go
other exemption. but they say agent.
refused to recognize the exception.
granted and hustled them into line will
| real slackers.
: While Federal officials are straighten
ing out the muddIe the mastering Office
has assigned the prisoners for quarter.
and rations in detention camps. whit,
men going TO the Twelfth Battalion anC
negroes TO the Thirteenth.
| Some still in Evening Clothes.
The details show the oldest assert
ment of classes ever received at tn,
| camp A few wear evening clothes IL
which they were dressed for social en-
eagements when the raids began. On,
! Italian with a pair OF womens shoe
strung about his neck said he left hi.
wife at home barefoot while he took he
only shoes to the cobbler. He wa
caught In the dragnet while on the err
rand
Air. O'Brian had long talks yesterda,
with Mr.. De Woody, United States At
torney Caffey, Mr., Briggs OF the Ameri
can Protective League and Rufus w
| Sprague, Jr., director of the New Yorl
enemy alien bureau. In addition he in
terviewed a lot of persons who are no
of official rank.
Mr. O'Brian said: II am here Il
make summary investigation to ascer
tain II there has been abuse of power
by any official of the Department of Jus
tice and II there has been any infringe
ment OF the right of personal liberty
| The question of personal liberty concerns
the Department OF Justice deeply. Mr.
| Gregory has insisted. especially In wa
time. that the liberty OF the individual
shall be upheld in this country. and il
extremely sensitive on this point"
| The Department OF Justice, Mr.
O'Brian said, had not received a com
! plant from any person of mistreatmen
| at the hands OF the raiders. But that
he added, made no difference the De
partment owed 1t TO itself. TO run dow
the allegations made in Washington an,
find out whether or not the canvass 70