In Fear of the Barbed Wire Fence - Ukrainian Canadian Civil ...

In Fear of the Barbed Wire Fence
In “Keeping tab on the aliens,” the Brandon Sun described these
procedures for its readers:
When first reporting each man is given a card which must be signed
every month by the chief of police, postmaster, or justice of the peace,
at the place where he is staying. Thus a record of the movements of
each foreigner is kept. Should a policeman see a foreigner’s card that
has not been properly signed by an official, the man is liable to be
placed under arrest for breaking parole and interned with the other
alien enemies [at the Winter Fair Building.] There are a few of the
foreigners enrolled in Brandon who have not been reporting and
these are being hunted up and placed under arrest. [11]
Thus when an “Austrian” found “lurking in the bush” in October 1914 refused
to explain his movements he was arrested by the military authorities and, as
reported by the Winnipeg Free Press, would “probably be sent to the detention
camp at Kingston.” [12]
Enemy Alien Is Held By Police On Theft Charge
Henry Wock, alias Wolf, was taken in custody by the police today
charged with stealing $580 from Mike Fegiw, 141 Meade street,
while the latter was asleep. He will appear in police court
Saturday.
It is alleged that Fegiw before going to bed Monday, placed his
roll under his pillow. He was awakened during the night and saw
Wock pacing the floor and asked him why he could not sleep.
Wock told him that the rats in the house made him nervous. Next
morning the roll was missing.
Wock is an alien and it is said has been keeping under cover in
a house in Elmwood since Tuesday but was forced to come out to
report to the intelligence department today. He walked into the
arms of two policemen who were waiting to receive him.
- Winnipeg Telegram, 14 December 1917, page 3
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