New-York tribune., 1918-07-24
Sedition Also Is Alleged in
Six Counts in SYRIA
cuse Bill
Held in $4,000 Bail
Case Expected to Affect Lieut..
Gov. Schoenecks Politi-
cal Ambitions
Especial DtspGtch to The Tribune

Especial Dispatch to The Tribune
SYRACUSE, N. Y, July 23.-John A.
Tolishus, clerk in the law Office of
Lieutenant Governor Edward Schoe-
neck, was indicted to-day by Federal
grand jury here on six counts Of dis
five hours after the Indictment had
been reported, and was Immediately ar
raigned before Federal Court Judge
George w. Ray. He pleaded not guilty
and was released in $4,000 bail. Judge
Ray fixed the date Of trial as Septem-
Der 10 and assigned Il. N. Wilson to
defend him.
Tolishus. when he appeared in the
custody of the marshal, showed the
signs Of the strain plainly. He had
nothing to say. Lieutenant Governor
Schoeneck, who had interested him
self in the young attorney, was not
present when the latter was arraigned,
nor was George II. Bond, Schoeneck's
law partner, who is named on the nom
mating petitions of Governor Whit
man.
AS result of the findings of the
jury which reported the Indictment,
several Investigations are in prospect.
The first and probably most important
is already under way. That is to
determine why the first jury which
heard the case against Tolishus and
had practically all the testimony on
which to-days indictment was based
flrst voted an Indictment and then re-
considered its previous action. Agents
of the Department of Justice have been
following the case closely and as soon
as the indictment was reported this
afternoon began the investigation.
Although Tolishus hung about out
side the jury room while the witnesses
were being heard and had offered to
waive immunity if he could testify be-
fore the body, he was not called.
Neither was the Lieutenant Governor
ror Mr.. Bond, who up to a short time
ago were employers Of Tolishus. When
the first jury reconsidered the case
both OF these men testified.
To Investigate Society
Another investigation to be taken up
by government agents is of the
Zwischendeck, society of Germans
which operated in this city before
America declared war, the purpose of
which was to give Americans the Ger
man viewpoint, in the belief that the
news coming from Europe had been
colored in favor of the Allies. 1t is
understood that one of the witnesses
who testified before the jury to- day
explained the workings of this body.
1t is said that Tolishus was member
of it. 1t has supposedly gone out OF
existence since America declared war.
About twenty witnesses were heard
in the case against Tolishus, with the
result that the indictment contained
six counts. The first charges that To-
lishus said that he became natural
lied citizen only SO he could be ad-
mitted to the bar The second count
charges that the attorney declared that
America had no business to go to war
with Germany and that it was the am
munition makers in this country who
caused the war so that they could make
greater profits. Other counts contain
the charges that Tolishus told the wit
nesses that Germany had done nothing
to the United States to warrant it's go
ing to war with the Imperial govern
ment.
Desertion Hint Reported
Tolishus was of draft age and dis
cussed the subject much with friends
On one occasion, it is charged, he said
"lf l am drafted and go to the front
it is but short step from the Ameri
can trenches to the German trenches" :"
In another instance Tolishus is charged
with saying he would never go into
the draft army, as he had friends who
would give him $4,000 to flee the coun-
try into Mexico. Tolshus has said
bo nl,
that he would enlist in the army and
that he was loyal to his adopted coun-
try. But, according to a decision
handed down here to-day by the Dis
trict Board for Northern New York, he
will not have an opportunity to enlist
He appealed from the findings of his
local board physicians that he was
physically fit. He was sent to the
Medical Advisory Board, but even that
did not satisfy him, so he appealed to
the district board, which had decided
that Tolishus is physically qualified
for military service.
On his appeal to the district board
he wrote in that he appealed because
"thc finding of the doctors was erro-
neOuS."
Schoeneck May Withdraw
The Indictment against Tolishus will
nave q RTeat ellect OH lne POllClcal as
pirations of the Lieutenant Governor
leaders declared here this afternoon
1t is expected he will withdraw, though
his friends say he will not. All Cen-
trail New York is stirred up by the
/ Tolishus case, and none of the leaders
doubt that it will have much to do
with the choice Of candidates in the
primaries. The general opinion seems
to be that candidates who have Ger
man names need expect little support
from loyal Americans because of the
situation brought out by the Tolishus
case.
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