1918-01-20-sr-p6-thomas-weller-arrested-not-registering-for-draft
January 20, 1918 Spokesman-Review Page 6:
REARDAN MAN IS HELD AS SLACKER:
Assistant Postmaster Weller’s Antagonism to Red Cross Leads to His Arrest.
“MAJOR” STERN IS JAILED
Apprehended by City Detective for Alleged False Pretenses at Lever Hotel.
Thomas M. Weller, assistant postmaster at Reardan, was brought before the United States commissioner yesterday on a charge of failing to register for the draft. The arrest, which followed a series of alleged unpatriotic incidents at Reardan, was made after complaints had been made to the authorities. Mr. Weller put up a bond of $1000 and was released. His hearing was set for Monday morning. Weller is alleged to have given his age as 28 when he voted at the city election at Reardan, but when asked about registration he is said to have asserted that he was above the draft age. During the recent drive for Red Cross membership it is said the women who were soliciting memberships set up a booth in the Reardan post office, Weller is said not to have approved of the booth and to have remarked that, so far as he was concerned, he wished they would take it out.
Weller is said to have refused to take out a membership either for himself or his wife. He has no other relatives there except a sister-in-law. He formerly lived in the Wenatchee district, but has lived in Reardan several years.
"Major" J. H. Stern, who was held for investigation by the federal authorities for several days, was released yesterday after it was concluded no charge could be made against him. He was taken before the United States commissioner and discharged, but was immediately arrested by Detective Mitchell on a charge of attempting to obtain credit at the Lever hotel by representing himself to be a British officer. He was taken to the city jail.
