Case Summary

Bernard Patrick Morris, the petitioner, failed to report for military service with intent to evade service and was therefore charged with desertion and detained by the Seattle police department. In response, Morris claimed that he was a subject of Canada and was given an exemption by Dominion officials through an Exemption Certificate. Yet, several Military officers and officials responded to the Court, stating they have no trace of a "Bernard Patrick Morris" as enlisted or been drafted. Nonetheless, he was able to eventually produce a certificate from the Canadian Registration Board that he was registered for the Canadian Draft. The Canadian government stated that he was made exempt because of his status as a married man and father. Later on in the case are attached proceedings from a divorce; it is unclear how this played a role in the case and what Morris's fate was.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Carceral

Petition subtype(s)

• Suspicion of draft evasion

Outcome

Unknown

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

RG 21 U.S. District Court for the Southern Division of the Western District of Washington Civil, Criminal, Admiralty, and Bankruptcy Case Files, 1890-1950, No. 0542

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 76 and 100 pages

Repository(s)

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

State

• Washington

Tag(s)

• Athlete
• Divorce

People

• Morris, Bernard Patrick (petitioner)
• Morris, Bernard Patrick (bound party)
• Warren, Joel (holding party)
• Wiseman, A. H. (petitioner attorney)
• Moodie, Albert (petitioner attorney)
• Caldwell, Hugh W. (respondent attorney)

• Additional parties

  Hatt, W. I. (deputy)

  Thomas, Percy F. (clerk)

  Wiseman, A. H. (notary public)

  Whitney, W. M. (esq, chairman local board division no. 6)

  Good, E. J. (major, asst. provost marshal)

  Sunderland, J. B. (chief assistant registrar)

  McKay, W. M. (major, chief public representative)

  Lennie, Robert, S. (registrar)

  Maxweed, R. P. (major, district record officer)

  Ziegaus, Irving W. (captain)

  Abel, Edson C. (infantry captain)

  Northrup, B. A. (captain)

  Frank, Ludwig (captain)

  Hartson, Nelson (captain)

  Raftis, John T. (major)

  Muller, W. G. (major, camp adjutant)

  Ludington, Allen G. (judge advocate)

  Behuke, H. W. (registrar)

  Conner, W. W. (officer)

  Padgeu, B. E. (member of district board)

  King, Brien T. (examining physician)

  Hartson, Millard T. (local board member)

  Northrop, Bert A. (chief clerk)

  Boyer, C. L. (liuetenant)

  Morris, Minniabelle C. (wife)

  Olson, A. N. (deputy)

  Agar, H. S. (notary public)

  Bowyer, M. (witness)

  Boyle Jr., John M. (attorney)

  Beeler, Adam (notary public)

  Tallman, Boyd J. (judge)

  Kirkland, J. H. (deputy registrar)

  Zurbrick, John L. (immigration inspector)

  Taylor, Fred W. (canadian immigrant inspector)

  Patrick, Frank A. (witness)

  Doherty, C.J. (canadian minister of justice)