ARMY DESERTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 119, 6 February 1918, Page 6

ARMY DESERTER

HIDDEN IN A WARDROBE. Adelaide, January 31. Mrs. Rose, of King Street, Adelaide, pleaded guilty at tho Adelaide Police Court to having .011 January 12, knowing Private Donald M'Carthv to bo a deserter from tho Defence Forces, attempted to conceal him. Tho prosecuting counsel said that tho penalty provided by tho Act was imprisonment without hard labour not exceeding twelve months. M'Carthy was a member of the A.I.P. on January 2, and while undergoing detention at Fort Glanville, he escaped, and ten days later he was discovered at defendant's house. Tho military polico asked Mrs. Hose whether she had seen her brother. She replied that she had not seen him sincp he went to Fort Glanville. Tho officers searched tho house, and they went into a bedroom in which was a wardrobe which was looked. The defendant said that she could not open, tho wardrobe as she had lost tho key. Tlio military police opened tho door ancf found M'Carthy sitting inside. As soon as he was discovered Mrs. Rose rushed to a table, pulled out a drawer, and holding her' right hand behind her, cried out: "You let him go or I'll drill a hole through you." One of tho polico party wont behind the defendant and found that she had nothing in her hand. M'Cartliy had deserted on two or three other occasions, 011 0110 of which he was discovered at defendant's house early in the morning stretched between the flock and wire mattresses of tho bed on top of which defendant was lying...- As long as M'Carthy could get into touch with the defendant 110 would never make a soldier. The Magistrate said it was a more serious offence now than at other times. The defendant was fined £20 or threo months' imprisonment.