Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1919 — GUNMAN IS WAR HERO [ARTICLE]

GUNMAN IS WAR HERO

New York Bad Man Returns With Fine Record. Commanding Officers Ask That Citizenship Be Restored to “Monk" Eastman. Camp Upton, N. Y.—“ Monk” Eastman, gunman, notorious leader of gangsters who once terrified New York’s East side, now is Private William Delaney, veteran, back from France with an enviable war record. He was honorably discharged from the One Hundred and Sixth infantry and within a few days there will be forwarded to Governor Smith a petition signed by his commanding officers, asking that he be restored to citizenship. “Monk’s” life history is the story of a “come back.” In the old days he was an opium addict, burglar, creature of the slums with ever a “gun” on his hip. In 1917 he finished a term for burglary and in October of that year enlisted, no questions asked. Into war, which has made heroes out of cowards, strong men out of weak, went “Monk.” When the Twenty-sev-enth division took its place in Flan-

ders, “Monk” was there. When the gallant New Yorkers swept forward against the Hindenburg line —and cracked it —“Monk” was in the first wave. When comrades fell and stretcher bearers were needed, “Monk” volunteered. \\hen carried to a British hospital wounded in the head while leading a bombing squad into the face of machine guns, “Monk” escaped to mount once more the firing step. These and many more are the facts recounted in the petition signed by Col. Franklin W. Ward of the One Hundred and Sixth, by Maj. J. Scott Buxton and by Capt. James M. Conroy and Lieut. Joseph A. Kerrigan, "Monk’s” immediate superiors, who fought by his side on foreign soil.