Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 105, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1918 — REGULATORS USE PAINT ON STORES AT WANATAH [ARTICLE]

REGULATORS USE PAINT ON STORES AT WANATAH

Laporte, Ind., May 10.—Three places of business at Wanatah were decorated with yellow paint early yesterday morning while the residents of the village were asleep. The aim was to indicate, to the public that the owners were not fully patriotic in the war of the United States against the Teutonic powers. On each of the stores the word - “slacker” also was painted in big letters. Herman A. Boelke, a furniture dealer there, and a member of the Laporte . county council of defense, was ope of the victims. He notified the authorities here last night, asking for a full investigation and asserting that there was no reason to doubt that he was fully in sympathy with the war. The other places painted were the Bailitz general store and a confectionery store owned by Otto Manthi.us. Wanatah is in Cass township in the southern part of the county. It has a large population of German descent and has been visited by agents of the department of justice in connection with reports of disloyalty. Boelke and Bailitz have bought Liberty bonds in all three issues and have taken part in the collection of money for various war funds. Boelke was chairman of the Cass township third Liberty loan committee which brought in total sales of more than 200 per cent. He plso is township chairman for the Red Cross.