'HOP-TO-IT TOM' RETURNS.
Austrian Went Back to Visit and
Army Got Him a Year.
Thomas Lacy, better known by the residents of the first ward of Kansas City, Kas., as "Hop-to-it-Tom," returned yesterday from a visit to his native country, Austria. Lacy came to this city when a boy and amassed a small fortune in commercial pursuits in the packing house district. He decided to visit the home of his birth in May last year, but before going back he neglected to take out naturalization papers. At the time he left Austria the first time to come to this country he had not given his country the required army service, and when he went back home on a visit he was arrested and after a trial sentenced to serve one year in the Austrian army.
"If I had been smart," said Lacy yesterday, "I would have taken out my papers, declaring my allegiance to the United Stated before leaving for the old country. I hadn't landed over there more than a week, when I was picked up and informed that I would have to do army service before returning to the States. I was sentenced to one year's service in the army, but after serving three months I secured my release by paying a man to serve as my substitute. It cost me quite a little bit of coin, but I am back into the States and I propose to stick here from now on."
