The Glenwood post., 1918-08-24

been severely criticised because he is
said to have failed to call Mrs. Walter
to an accounting for disloyal speech.
1t appears that the first official no.
tice taken of Mrs. Walters conduct
was about l5 months ago when Sam
Thompson went to Sheriff Fravert and
reported to ii II conversation he had
had with Mrs. Walt.r, in which he al
leges that she declared that the war
was brought on by the money poweie,
that it was uncalled for and that
President Wilson ought to be shot.
These rumors have proved very ex-
asperating to the local board until they
finally concluded it would be best for
all concerned to face Mrs. Walter with
the charges that have been made
against her and thus give her a chance
to set herself right if possible.
Accordingly Mrs. Walter was on
Tuesday morning called before the local
draft board and the military legal ad-
visory board and Mr.. Thompson was
asked to repeat the charges which he
had previously made to Sheriff Fravert.
This he at first declined to do, saying
that if there was to have been any
hearing it should have been had at the
time when the charges were first made
and not delayed until political cam
paign was on and he and Mr.. Fravert
were contesting each other for the
nomination to the office of sheriff.
During the wrangle that ensued, with
fravert and Thompson pitted against
each other in an animated talkfest,
and with Mrs. Walter occasionally SEE.
onding the motion or entering a posi-
tive denial, the affair took on much of
the nature of political family row,
with a re-enactment of the old story of
the pot calling the kettle black and
vice versa.
Finally at the suggestion of Lawyer
Darrow, who thought it better for all
concerned that the Investigation be
had, Mr.. Thompson consented to tell
his story which was to the effect that
some time in May or June of last year
he entered the Rittmayer hardware
store and ordered quart of linseed
oil. Mrs. Walter was reading a news.
paper and while her brother went to
the reat of the store to get the oil she
said to Thompson "Here is another
big lie the papers are printing about
the Germans and then she showed
story to the effect that the Germans
were boiling the bodies of their dead
soldiers in order to get the human fat
which was converted into glycerine for
war purposes. She then remarked, pc.
cording to Thompson s story, that ths
war was useless and that it wa.
brought about by the money interests
and closed by saying that President
Wilson ought to be shot.
Thompson says he reminded Mrs
Walter that she was making some very
strong statements and that she had bet
terobe careful. By this time Mr.. Ritt
mayer had returned with the oil and
! Thompson took it and left the store anC
has remained away ever since. Ht
went out on the street and met one OF
our citizens to whom he recited hi.
conversation with Mrs. Walter and IL
was urged to go straight to Sheriff
f'ravert with the story. This he hesi
tated to do as he said he had no per
sonal desire to cause Mrs. Walter an,
Inconvenience or work upon her any
personal hardship. He was then tol;
that if he did not report the matter t,
traVert the party to whom he wa
speaking would report him to Fraver
as failing in his duty to uphold tn,
majesty Of the law.
Thompson says he then hunted "
Fravert and told him the story, whcI
the latter branded him as an agitato
and inquired by what right he entere,
the Woman's place of business /,
cause her trouble. Here Thompson an,
Fravert spared at lively rate for
few minutes and it was quite difficult
for time for disinterested perso,
to make sure which one was on trial
Thompson or Mrs. Walter. Thompson
said he had always regretted yer,
much that the matter came up as he
did not believe that Mrs. Walter reall,
meant the harsh words she used in tn.
manner they impressed him at tht
time.
| Called to make statement in hel
own defense Mrs. Walter said M
Thompson 8 statement was true in tn,
1,.A A1rA