Case Summary

In November 1918, Martin de Wal petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus on the grounds he was being unlawfully restrained of his liberty by Herny M. White, U.S. Commissioner of Labor. Martin was a subject of the Kingdom of Holland and was arrested by an Immigration Inspector charging de Wal with being an alien and having advocated or taught the unlawful destruction of property. At the initial hearing, de Wal stated he had never sold any book on sabotage and that he was against German militarism. The petition stated de Wal demanded a copy of said evidence against him in order to attach it to the petition but was refused by respondent Henry M. White. Judge Neterer denied the writ stating de Wal's case was similar to that of Samuel H. Dixon and Charles Bernat, whose writs were also denied.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Immigration
• Advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property

Sites of significance

• U.S. Immigration Station (Seattle, Washington)

Outcome

Writ denied

Fate of bound party

Remained in custody

Case Citation

RG21 US District Courts, Western District of Washington, Seattle, Records of the Northern Division, Case Files, 1890-1972, No. 4359

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 11 and 20 pages

Repository(s)

• National Archives and Records Administration, Seattle Branch, Washington (Seattle, WA) (Seattle, Washington)

State

• Washington

Tag(s)

• Labor organization
• I.w.w

People

• de Wal , Martin (Martin DeWall) (petitioner)
• de Wal , Martin (Martin DeWall) (bound party)
• Vanderveer, George F. (George T. Vanderveer) (petitioner attorney)
• Pierce, Ralph S. (petitioner attorney)
• White, Henry M. (respondent)
• White, Henry M. (responding party)
• White, Henry M. (holding party)
• Moore, Ben L. (respondent attorney)
• Neterer, Jeremiah (judge)

• Additional parties

  Burford, S.J. (Immigration Inspector)

  Harshberger, F.M. (Clerk)

  Leitch, S.E. (Deputy)

  Sander, Robert C. (United States Attorney)

  Moore, Ben L. (Assistant U.S. Attorney)

  Folsom, H.D. Jr. (Attorney for Department of Justice)

  Dixon, Samuel H. (Petition for writ cited in order)

  Bernat, Charles (Petition for writ cited in order)

  Holmes, Charlotte (Assistant U.S. Attorney)