ARMY DESERTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1918, Page 3

ARMY DESERTER.

HIDDEN IN A WARDROBE

ADELAIDE January 31

Mrs Rose of King Street, Adelaide, pleaded guilty at the Adelaide Police Court, to having on January 12 knowing Private Donald McCarthy to bo a deserter from the Defence Forces . attempted to conceal him. The prosecuting counsel said that the penalty provided by the Act was imprisonment without hard labour not exceeding twelve months. M’Cartliy was a member of the A.I.F. on January 2 ana while undergoing detention nt Fort Glanville. be escaped, and ten days later ho was discovered at defendant’s house The military police asked Mrs Rose whether she had seen her brother, replied that she had not seen him since he went to Fort G-ranville. T officers searched the house, and ■went into a bedroom in which was a wardrobe which was locked. The defendant said that she could not open the wardrobe as she had lost the. key. The military police opened the door and found M’Car thy sitting inside. As soon as he was discovered Mrs Rose rushed •to a table, pulling out a drawer and holding her right hand behind heir cried out: “You let him go or I’ll drill a hole through you.” One of the police party went behind the defendant and found that she had nothing in her hand.

M’Carthy had deserted on two three other occasions, on one of which he was discovered at defendant’s house early in the morning stretched between the 'flok and wiremattresses of the bed on the ton of which defendant was lying. As lon gas M’Cavthy could get into touch with defendant he would never make a soldier. The Magistrate said it was a more serious offence than at other times. The defendant was fined £2O or three months’ imprisonment.