The sun., 1919-06-24
LUSK'S MEN RAID
RADICALS SAFE
TrucklOad of Documents Is
Seized in Building Of the
Rand School.
SOCIALIST RECORDS TAKEN
Link to |. w. w. Band Of Con.
victed AgitatOrs Said to
Have Been Found.

The minute book OF the American So
e,alist Society. tho organization con-
vic,ed in the Federal courts in Febru-
AIRY of violation Of the espionage law
the books and records OF the Society OF
tina Commonwealth Centre. Inc. and OF
the Peoples House Restaurant and Cafe.
tsrla. together with the financial record
were taken yesterday from the large
safe in the building at East Fifteenth
street. which houses the Rand School,
and are now in the possession of the
Lusk Joint legislative committee investi-
eating Bolshevism.
The books and papers were taken over
the protest of representatives Of the
Society of the Commonwealth Centre
and after warrant had been obtained
by agents of the Lusk committee to open
the safe by force, II necessary.
Archibald K. Stevenson, associate
counsel for the Lusk committee, with
some of his assistants. was engaged
OF material in a search for evidence that
will connect the radicals with Boil
shevik and anarchist propaganda being
spread throughout the country.
There was no indication last night OF
lust how much Importance the investi.
gators attach to the papers and other
matter taken from the safe, but, Judging
from the vigor Of the protest agains,
the action OF the authorities In opening
the safe. the agents of the COMMITTEES
feel certain that in the lot will be found
some matter the adherents OF the Rand
brand OF political philosophy would not
rara 70 bava NADIA r,thlic
Linked With the I. w. w.
There was also found on the premises
although not in the Office of the Rand
School, letter from a Chicago attorney
who was associated in the defence OF
william d. Haywood and 100 other l.
W. w. agiators Indicating that this law
yer came on to New York and collected
money from the Rand disciples for the
defence Of Haywood and his associates
I. NJ Sackin. an attorney of 1913 Broad
way. who Is counsel for the Society OF
the Commonwealth Centre. Inc. pro-
tested vigorously against the action OF
the Lusk committee and the members OF
the State constabulary who took charge
Of the papers found In the safe. Mr.
Sackln characterized the proceeding az
high handed violation OF the rights OF
q private corporation and declared tina,
he would take every legal step possible
to obtain redress. When the authori-
ties arrived armed with the search war
rant that had been obtained earlier In
the day from Chief Magistrate McAdoo
Ssckin called for the police and de-
manded that they protect his property,
Deputy Attorney General Samuel j. Ber-
ger produced the warrant and identified
himself. whereupon the bluecoats de-
clined to Interfere.
While Sackin was protesting Vincen,
Thomas. a safe expert employed by the
Miller Safe Company. 3ls Canal street
under the direction of Deputy Attorney
General Berger. drilled a holt alongside
OF the combination knob and in a few
minutes manipulation had the big doors
open.
BIames Union League Club.
1--WE would have been justified in re.
s!sting this conversion Of our property
BY force. but we were outnumbered. and
besides the State Constabulary troopers
were armed" said Sackln.
Algernon Lee, Socialist member of the
Board OF Aldermen. who was present a
the proceeding. was deputed by Sackir
to represent the owners in the prepare
ton of an inventory of the materia
taken from the safe. This was completed
early last evening and the books. papers
and other matter taken away.
This has been a case of the Unior
League Club attacking the safe Of THE
Rand School," continued Sackin. I'VE
vii! hold the people who committed thii
damage to our property responsible both
under the civil and criminal law. We
order vacating the warrant; We will ap
peal 10 the District Attorney and to the
Supreme Court Of the State II necessary
and we will report the police officials
concerned for failure to do their sworr
duty and protect our property. We vii
see whether or not under this city OF
State administration property. can be de
Froyed with impunity'
George Strohbel. one of the officials
connected with the Society of the Com
monwealth Centre. added his, protest
say ing that the members OF theNcommit
tee were not concerned in finding EVIL
dence OF anarchy or Bolshevism but onl,
In getting lists OF names.
After the safe had been opened anC
the Lusk agents were engaged in goini
over the material found Alderman Lee
drew the attention of the State troopers
to the fact that the warrant referred
only to papers and documents relating Il
aIarchy or Bolshevism. and said that tn,
papers they were taking showed on thei
face that they bore no such relation. Al
derman Lee quoted this officer afterwart
as replying:
"Oh, that amt what we're after. w
want to get at the source OF the financia
support OF the Rand School"
Attorney Sackin went out OF his way
however to say that he had no com
plant whatever to make OF the Stat
troopers as individuals and that the.
acted with every courtesy and consid
Grafton.
object TO "Bell Ringing Crusade
The affidavit upon which Magistrat
McAdoo issued his warrant for the open
Ing OF the safe was sworn to by Clarenc
l. Converse an agent OF the Lusk com
mittee. and set forth 1t was his infor
nation and belief that the safe con
tanned matter of interest to the authori
Ties. basing his belief on a conversation
he says he overheard In the hallway o
the building on Saturday between tw
men connected with the Rand School or
ganization. One OF these men Is allege
70 have said to the other while the raj
o. Saturday was in progress
It's good thing they haven't opene
Tie big safe on the third Moor"
II became known yesterday that tn
Federal agencies engaged in investigat
ing the recent bomb outrages and apar
'Aistic activities generally are not an
too we'll pleased over the tactics en-
poyed by the legislative investigator
The publicity and bell ringing. that Al
taches to the committees efforts are dis
tasteful to the secret service and Depart
ment Of Justice men. They are OF tn
opinion that little, II anything. OF vafu
will be found. not because II does nc
exist, but because the persons connecte