The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-11-13
MADE MISTAKE
IN ARRESHNG AND
! JA|L|NGS SERGT. MYERS
MEMBER OF CANADIAN BLACK
WATCH FOUND TO BE GENU-
INE-QUICKLY RELEASED.

A number of wise heads said. 81
told you So" ETC., Wednesday night
and Thursday of last week when the
article in the Banner-News came out
with the announcement that Under
sheriff Mark Hoppough had been in
the city and had taken Sergt W. j.
Myers, a returned Canadian soldier
and member of the Canadian Black
Watch contingent. to Ionia, where he
was placed in jail to await instruc-
tions from the American Protective
League, which association had re-
uuested his arrest on a federal war
rant. which is said would issue on a
charge of alleged violation of the es-
pionage law. 1t had been reported
undoubtedly by some one in this city,
that Myers was talking too much and
disclosing the movements of military
forces in France.
Myers best and closest friends in
this city, who had become acquainted
with the veteran of the early battles
of the great war, were firmly convin-
ced that he would be proved all right
and true blue and their faith in the
fellow was not shaken even when the
sheriff's automobile whisked him out
of this city and over to Ionia, sup
pOScuiy W jail oS-
fore leaving this city, Sergt. Myers
had wired his commanding officer of
his arrest and the Canadian army of
ficials knowing Myers record
throughout the war, wired back and
vouched for his integrity and stated
that he was not the man wanted at all
and that he was in no way guilty or
even suspected of such charge. My
ers was then released by the Ionia
county authorities and he returned to
Belding and on Saturday left here for
Windsor, from where he writes that
he is at the home of his aunt for sew
eral weeks and will soon make trip
up here. He sends his best wishes to
his friends and thanks them for the
faith which they had in him.
Regardless Of who the party is who
sent in the false report regarding N.Y.
ers, it is a dirty, low, contemplate
trick and the party who so far low
cred themselves as to wilfully mislead
the authorities and cause the arrest
and apprehension of anyone. espec-
tally a man who early heard the call
to the colors and went forth to fight
at the risk Of his life, against one of
the fercest, savage and most inhum-
an war machines that history has ev-
er brought to the knowledge of man,
as did w. J. Myers, that party would
be given but mild consideration were
a number of citizens to cover him
with a good thick coating of warm
tar and feathers. We can hardly
believe that there lives within the
confines of our fair city, man who
would report another person as guilty
of some crime against the govern
ment or anything else in the criminal
line, so as to get someone else In
trouble but such evidently is the case
and man who has since been proved
innocent was wrongly jailed and suf-
fered humiliation which no person
should suffer.
Sergt. Myers at all times carried
with him papers relative to his fur
Tough which runs until December a.
He also carried his passports and any
one who might have thought him de-
serter or bogus soldier of any kind
would have but to have questioned hfm
to have found out.
A Mr.. Utley, mentioned in the pa
pers which the sheriff's office received
before arresting Myers, cannot be
found and in case he could be found,
some light might be thrown on the
case and the person who first sent out
the false report to the American Pro-
tective League might receive his just
deserts for sending in false informa-
tion in this matter.