INTERNED GERMANS IN COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 169, 6 April 1918, Page 10

INTERNED GERMANS IN COURT

A QUARREL IN THE CAMP MAN'S JAW FRACTURED By Telecraph-PreEs Association. . • Auckland, ApriL 5. A German civilian named Freit.t Schmallkuche, interned nn Motuihi Island, was charged at the Police Court before Mr. Frazer, S.M., with assaulting another German named Franz Albin Volkmer, on February 11 last, so as to cause him actual bodily harm. Evidence showed that the trouble arose through an alleged statement of the complainant to one of the guards that the men in C Barracks were no good and that the cadets were especially marked out. Volkmer was accused of having more sympathy with the British than with the Germans. He denied this, and as an outcome of further quarrelling accused struck him, fracturing his jaw. Accused admitted the blow, but said the fracture was accidental. The Magistrate (to complainant): Have they been calling your a Socialist and that sort of thing? Witness (smiling): I know I am a Socialist. His Worship:' And they have been pitching into you? Witness: There has been some discussion, but they never told me anything about it. Schmallkuche, in answer to a question on this!.said: "I don't remember calling him 'it. but he is a Socialist and I.W.W. man." The Chief Detcctive remarked that some of the men had apparently been making general statements at the meal table intended to apply to Volkmer. Schmallkuche added that he and others had been annoyed because Volkmer used to talk about German soldiers "having courage to desert," and used to rejoice over news in the papers about strikes in' Germany. Volkmer replied that he had not shown any joy, but had argued with some of the other men. that strikes were political, and that they could not expect everything to go smoothly in Germany. Accused, who claimed to be a m, lrj tary prisoner, pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. , Bail was allowed in the nominal sum of £10, the bondsman to be a military officer. This course was adopted in order to permit accused _ being returned to Motuihi. The military, however, declined, and'accused was committed to Mount l'.den Gaol. 1