New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-04-17
STORIES. FOUND TO
POSSESS NO TRUTH
u. S. ATTY. CEN'L. GREGORY
( BRANDS SCARE STORIES
AS FALSE ~.
COURT PLASTER, GROUND GLASS
AND POISONED WATER FEARS
GROUNDLESS

the country has been Mortified from time
to time with tales of German activities
with intent to destroy human life in
America. These stories were absurd
on the face of them but because of the
hysteria existing in the country they
were widely published and implicitly
believed. The Review has steadily re
fused to accept them as other than war
propaganda and hysteria and now the
common sense of the position it has
taken is proven by recent developments
brot about by investigations instigated
by the war department. Attorney
General Gregory declares that the in
vestigations prove that these stories
have been absolutely without foundation
and that no evidence has been discovered
to indicate that the Germans or anyone
else had been attempting to destroy
either humal or animal life This in
formation was given out in letter by
the Attorney General to Representative
Frear of Wisconsin which has just been
made public. E
Numerous Investigations
The department of justice has made
many Investigations of the reports OF
ground glass and poisoned water and
poisoned court-plaster, but so far has
discovered no case in which glass was
placed in food maliciously, and only
one case of poisoned court-plaster, which
case appeared accidental. A small
quantity of poison was found recently
in horse trough in West Virginia, but
no government animals had access to
the trough, and there is no evidence
that it was placed in the water by enemy
agents.
IT, Z. Flint and Sand Found
!. "The greater number of the alleged
broken glass cases." said the attorney
gerenal, developed into instances where
there were found present small pieces
of flint, sand or other impurities that
had either accidentally or through
negligent manufacture appeared in the
products. .s~
"There have been few cases where
glass did occur in such commodities,
but in these instances the presence of
glass was due, as was the presence of
other impurities just mentioned, to &C.
cident or some negligence in the manu-
facture other than a wilful. intent to
cause harm. 49, s.-..:..- Z:
Tetanus Rumors Unfounded
Gas to poisoned court plaster, a
number of complaints have been made
to the department and have been thor
oughly investigated. In all Of these
cases but one no harmful trace of pois-
on. was found. In one case, occurring
in Illinois, the investigation showed
the presence in some court plaster Of
tetanus germs, which the department
is assured by chemists might occur in
the negligent preparation of court plaster.
No Poisoned Water Cases
mo cases of poisoned waters with
intent to injure human beings have
come to the departments attention,
either by complaint or by its own in
vestigations. The department has dis
covered no case where any attempt was
made wilfully to injure horses or ami
mails belonging to or destined for gov
eminent use by means Of poisoned water.
$50 far as the federal government
is concerned, it would seem that the
enactment Of the pending sabotage
bill, now before Congress, would en-
able the prosecution of and the fixing
of adequate punishment for such Of
lenses as you describe against govern
ment property, or property destined
for the military or naval use of the
government. - .-l i:
SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT