gcls_campsevier_116

TRENCH AND CAMP

[Column 1]

BANKER WITH
SPA DATA OPERATES
STORE IN GREENVILLE

John Meyer, of New York, joint
founder with Charles Sol-Slavery of
the Military Sales corporation. a
branch of which is operated on West
Washington street in Greenville, has
been arrested by federal agents in
New York in the dragnet thrown
out for German spies. Meyer has
been in jail since March 16 and Sol-
Slavery, under the guise of being a
Frenchman, is supposed to be in
France.

Sol-Slavery was in Greenville for a
while during the opening of the local
store and is known to a number of
people here. It is known that sus-
picion has been thrown about the
store here for some time, govern-
ment agents having been collecting
data. However, so far as is known,
there has been no incriminating evi-
dence found about the branch and
n oarrests have been made of any
one connected with it. An instance
of the innocence of the public con-
cerning the reputed nature of this
company is noted in the fact that a
Greenville citizen during a recent
trip to New York visited the head
offices of this company where Meyer
was located and was entertained by
the officers of the company.

The company has four stores in
the south - at Camp Sevier, Camp
Greene, Charlotte; Camp Hancock,
Augusta, and Camp Jackson, Co-
lumbia.

When arrested Meyer had a mass
of military transportation schedules,
also detailed data as to troop, move-
ments and the available supply of
railroad cars. The number of men
training at the various cantonments
was also given.

The Sol-Slaverys spoke French
fluently and Sol-Slavery had certain
papers alleging service in the
French army durin the early period
of the war. He also had papers pur-
porting to be dismissals from the
French military hospitals and claim-
ed to have been wounded, exhibiting

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We extend a welcome to all
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Sullivan-Markley Hdw. Co.
223 N. Main St. Phones 77-78

[Column 2]

the scares He also bought to this
country letters of introduction from
European bankers to Secretary Mc-
Adoo and J. Pierpoint Morgan.

The following is an account of the
arrest as appeared in The New York
Tribune of Sunday:
How the German spies spread a
net over the country and established
receiving stations for information of
military value near four of the larg-
est army cantonments in the south
was revealed yesterday when William
Wallace, director of the New York
enemy alien bureau, announced he
had forwarded recommendations to
Attorney General Gregory for the
disposal of John Meyer, of Brooklyn,
said to be the master mind of the
ring. Mr. Wallace refused to make
known his recommendations.

Meyer was arrested on March 16
by agents of the military intelligence
service in his affice at 57 Remsen
Street, Brooklyn. At the same time
his confidential man, Hans Feliss, of
776 Prospect avenue, also was taken
in custody. He was released because
of lack of evidence that he was in-
volved in the plot with his employer.

Meyer was born in Hamburg, but
later moved to Berlin, where he was
prominent as a banker. He left Ger-
many for the United States in July
1914, seven days prior to the delar-
aation of war, turing over his bank-
ing interests to a bookkeeper.

Opened Stores Near Camps.

On arrival here he established a
small store dealing in phonographs.
Later this business was expanded
and the Emm-Ess Trading company
formed, with offices at 16 Fifth ave-
nue. With Sol-Slavery, he founded
the Military Sales corporation soon
after the United States entered the
war.

Slavery, according to the information
of the federal authorities, is an East
Indian. He lived in France for nine
years before the war and is married
to a French woman. Some time ago
he left this country for Europe Gov-
ernment agents believe he is a rela-
tive of Meyer.

In August of 1917, when he
mobilization of the national army
was started and forms selected for
the camps. Meyer established four
stores as near to the camps in the south
as authorities would permit. These
stores were located at Camp Jack-
son, Columbia, S. C.; Camp Sevier,
Greenville, S. C.; Camp Greene,
Charlotte, N. C. and Camp Hancock,
Augusta, Ga.

Information Sent to Meyer.

Each of these stores, which it is
said, were operated by enemy aliens,
was equipped at the cost of $12,000.
The business was confined almost ex-
clusively to soldier trade. The clerks
in these establishments, federal of-
ficials say, obtained whatever in-
formation about the camp they could
and forwarded it to Meyer, who in
turn conveyed it to Germany.

The means used by Meyer in get-
ting this information abroad have
not been made public, but is is be-
lieved that agents of the federal gov-
ernment know the methods used.

When Meyer was arrested a mass
of military transportation schedules
was found among his effects, with
detailed information as to the pos-
sibility of large troop movements
and of the available railroad cars.
In ddition pins of the various na-
tional army cantonments, with ac-
curate figures as to the number of
men in training were found. Meyer
has failed to satisfy the federal au-
thorities as to why he had this data.

Cost of drafting Army and Pro-
vost Marshal General's operations
was $10,000,000; cost per man ac-
cepted for service, $4.93.

During 12 months Army hospit-
als increased from 7 to 63 in number,
and from 5,000 to 58,000 beds; 30,-
000 more beds are being added.

Two weeks after war was declared
contracts had been made covering
the requirements of an Army of
1,000,000 men, this material com-
prising 8,700,000 items.

[Column 3]

SOLDIERS
EAT WHERE YOU KNOW
The Food Is Clean
AND OF A HIGH QUALITY
The Royal Restaurant
IS THE PLACE
111 WEST WASHINGTON STREET
ON THE WAY TO THE P. & N. STATION.

Men, Buy Your
Sporting Goods from
a Sporting Goods Store

Athletic Goods for every game, well
known reliable goods from the foremost
makers such as Reach, Stall & Dean,
Goldsmith.

Our Stock is by big odds the largest
and best assorted to be found in
Greenville.
Best treatment and service possible
extended men of Camp Sevier, which
we welcome to make our store their
headquarters when in the city.

O'Neall Williams Co.
(Incorporated.)
120 West Washington St.

EAT at the
Oceanic Cafe
Where the other Soldiers Eat - and you will enjoy every
morsel of Food.
SEA FOOD
Every day in the week.
Cooked to suit your appetite.
West Coffee Street, Just off Main Street

Hotel Imperial
Greenville, S. C.

THIS, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND BEST IN
THE STATE, has a warm welcome for Mil-
itary Men and their relatives and friends. Make
your reservations for them here. If they come to
visit you unexpectedly bring them to the hotel
just the same.
Make yourselves at home in our lobby and let
us serve you in our Cafe or Main Dining Room.