New-York tribune., 1918-01-29
Author of Spy and Ger
man Ammunition Stories
Sticks to Statements
Quits Defence Society
Declares He Will Refuse to
DivulGe Sources of His
Information

{. S. Thompson. founder of the
American Defence Society, whose state
ments that fourteen German spies have
ing 100000 rounds of ammunition FOR
Germany had been cleared at this port
have been contradictcd by the Federal
officials, Will be .~lled before the Fed
cral Grand Jury this morning. He last
night rendered his resignation as
member Of the American Defence So
ciety
John G. Knox, Assistant United
States Attorney, who failed to induce
Mr.. Thompson last Saturday to reveal
the sources of his alleged inf,rma-
ton. announced yesterday nat a
subpoena had been issued for Mr.
Thompson. Later in the evening Mr.
Thompson told reporters at the Man
haitian Hotel that he would Immediately
withdraw from the American Defence
Society.
~ hate to give up my child" Mr..
Thompson said, "but even children have
to be sacrificed in war time. Besides
being on the board OF trustees, the
executive committee and the press COM
mittee, | am member of the infor-
nation committee of the society, which
works intimately with the Department
Of Justice. In view of my criticism
of that department and its unfrendly
feeling toward ne. ] am resigning
from the American Defence Society
because the work for the Department
of Justice it is doing is too important
to be interrupted on account of my
relations with the department.
Will Protect His Condolences
Ar. Thompson reiterated last night
his determination ito protect his con-
lidences at whatever cost" but made
public the fact that cne of his sources
of information regarding the ammuni-
ton story was signed Washington
dispatch by Arthur Sears Henning
which appeared in THE Chicago Trib-
unc" on January s. Although assert
ing that the spy story was not the
issue at present Mr.. Thompson said
that he had already told Mr.. Knox of a
source of information for that state
ment and would GO no more.
Il Will not betray my contidences,'
Mr.. Thompson insisted. III the names
of some of my informants we're re-
vcaled their lives would not be worth
two cents. as many of them arc Ger
mans Worklng IN the interest OF the
United States government. In the last
months in ny cooperation With the in
vestigatirg agencies Of the United
States have personally turned over
900 names.
MIR. Knox has the idea that you must
say only pleasant things about the De-
partment Of Justice. 1t is inefficient
and still on peace basis. 1t is under
manned. having only from one-fourtll
to one-half the number OF men it needs,
and is Handicapped with insufficient ap-
propriations. Attorney General Greg
ory, or whoever is behind his policies,
is too lenient with enemy aliens"
On the ammunition story. Mr.. Thomp-
son again declared that he knew about
the matter on January 1, four days
before THE Chicago Tribune" printed
it: He said it "was common gossip in
Washington
In the article referred to, there is
an account of the report that two ships
with ammunition destined for German
use had been cleared in New York. 1t
says that the situation will necessi-
tate an explanation by the Treasury
Der rtment and Department OF JUS
ticeH