Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-17
MAN CAUGHT AS HOBO IS
CHARGED WITH BEING
DRAFT EVADER
NAB OCLESBY MAN
YOUTH WITH 1.-TWO BIRTHDAYS"
IS ACCUSED BY OFFICIALS OF
FAILURE TO REGISTER EITHER
DAYS SET ASIDE FOR THAT
PURPOSE.

l.eo Smith, aged %, arrested in OF
tawa week ago by Captain Charles
Montgomery and patrolman, Jesse
Holmes. today was charged in official
ielegrams from Knoxville, Knox coun.
~, Tenn, with being "a Stacker. As
a result Of these disclosures Smith
will be held for federal authorities.
The arrest followed a report to
headquarters that three suspicious
acting negroes We're lurking along the
Rock Island tracks east of the Chica-
go Relort 4 Friedrich Company's
plant. The captain and his aid went
out to the plant and made the raid.
catching the trio in their net. Two of
the colored men proved themselves to
he all right and they were permitted
to go their way, Smith was held for
investigation.
An examination secured the admis.
sion from him he was registered Nth
he second district of Knox county.
Tenn. and that he had not reported
for duty Messages were dispatche
10 the draft board and instructions
were returned to Chief Zurich to hold
the negro.
Claim he is an Evader.
Louis Gallow, who claims he is only
Il years Old. was brought to Ottawa
from Oglesby this morning and lodged
in The county Nil pending an inyesti.
CATION into charges that he is a draft
evader. The arrest of Gallow was
brought about yesterday afternoon by
Deputy Sheriff Stedman, to whom it
was reported the suspect was shown
on school records to be "A years OF
age, yet he did not register at the
Inne 4, 1917 registration.
After he had been taken in custody
Gallow said he was born December g.
1897 and for that reason he was not
q years OF age now The records Of
Oglesby's schools show he was born
December II, 1894 As Gallow enter.
ed school with boys Of his age. Off
cialdom is confident there could not
be the difference between his alleg
ed years and the age he claims
Insurance papers taken out by the
accused youth show he was born De
cember 3. 1897 When he failed to
register al either the first or second
registrations neighbors accused Gal.
low of having flexible birthday,
which possessed enough elasticity to
stretch him beyond the June 5 last
registration
Because of the confusion existant
in his case the young man will be
held here until his case is thoroughly
looked up from all possible angles.
They Weren't Deserters.
Three young men, all IN army re-
gala, who were seen to go through
Ottawa Saturday night on Rock
Island "blind baggage" proved them
selves not to be deserlers when after
their arrest and detention at Seneca
they produced passes for an over
Sunday leave from their duties at the
Rock Island arsenal
~hey admitted they were "bum
ming" their way to Chicago, but said
they had to do that In order to gel
home for Sunday When they wert
drought before the sheriff that worthy
ont Of the bigncss of his own heart
refused them to ride free any further
and purchased each of the three sol
diers ticket Tor Chicago. They
were bathcd and cleaned up and sen
on their way tickeled to death they
had been ARRESTED" while the sheriff
was pleased to do this little bit b,
helping the boys in khaki