The Seattle Star

CHICAGO, Ill., July 30.-In a pretty cottage in the suburbs of Chicago lies an old, old, old lady -a little, age-weakened and tearful old woman, whose dearest possession, a brave and handsome boy, stands disgraced before his comrades and countrymen because he refused to give up the teachings of his religion.

The bedridden, sorrowing old woman is the grandmother of Joseph Julius Kapsa, the young gunner's mate of the battleship Delaware, who is serving a year at hard labor in the United States naval prison at Port Royal, S. C., for refusing to be vaccinated for typhoid. And the tearful old woman prays night and morning that the shackles and the ignominy shall fall from her Joseph-her little Joseph, who was the baby of her dead daughter.

"The Dreyfus of Christian Science," is Joseph Kapsa, in the language of the members of that faith, who are rushing to the front with all the influence they can bring to right the injustice they say Uncle Sam's naval officers have heaped upon this young man.

Both arms of the United States military establishment now vaccinate for typhoid. The order to vaccinate all sailors went out of the navy department in Washington on December 1, 1911. Kapsa, who is 28, was aboard the Delaware at Guantanamo, Cuba, when the ship's doctor went on the job.

He refused to be vaccinated. Respectfully he told the doctor and the battleship's executive officer that he was a Scientist, that his belief made it morally impossible for him to allow vaccination.

There was some doubt among the officers as to whether this was insubordination, but two or three months later, when the Delaware was in New York, a court-martial was ordered. Kapsa was found guilty and sentenced to two years at hard labor. This was later cut down to one year at the end of which time the young man is to be DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED from his country's service.

The only charge against Kapsa was that he REFUSED TO BE VACCINATED.

"What would you do if you had typhoid?" asked Lieut. Raclot of Kapsa at the court-martial.

"I would heal it by Christian Science."

"Do you think that if you transgressed some of those beliefs concerning your bodily health that you would be eternally damned?"

"Yes, sir," insisted the mate.

"Where did you get the idea as to how to cure typhoid fever?" asked Lieut. Raclot.

"From the bible," said Kapsa, specifying St. John.

"Can you tell this court what gave you the belief that if you cut off a finger instead of taking medical treatment you must have some other form of treatment, and if you didn't have it your soul would suffer?" insisted the lieutenant. "I want to know how closely your morals and beliefs go together."

"I do not wish to argue my religion with you," protested Kapsa.

Kapsa has never been sick. He has been in the navy 10 years and his record is WITHOUT A BLEMISH.

He is intelligent, well read and does not drink.

He maintained that his only reason for refusing to obey the order of a superior officer was because it interfered with his religious belief.