Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-01-24
DEsERTIoN FROM THE ARMY
The Reasons and Punishment There
for-Fewer Since oanteens
Were Established.

least their average of one man a dal
: without difficulty, though they do no
t have as many applicants as was thu
case in July and August. Things have
again settled to more normal eondi
tions, says the Boston Transcript.
! Once in awhile a man comes into
: the recruiting offices and gives him
self up as deserter. Last week such
a culprit was received at the Knee
: land street office, where he had orig
inally enlisted in 1896. After serv'
ing about two years in the ranks be
had deserted because he was tired OF
it. OF late affairs had not been going
smoothly with him and he had de-
eided to go back under Uncle Sans
wing and be punished like a bad boy.
/ The punishment for assertions in
times of peace are not as severe as
during war, but they are sufficiently
rigorous TO deter thoughtful men
from attempting to leave the service
when once they have taken the oath
From one to five years in prison at
hard labor, the sentences vary. II
a man deserts within six months OF
his enlistment, he gets from six
months to a years Imprisonment il
apprehended. If he has served over
I six months he is likely to get IS
! months in prison at hard labor. In
order to prove that a case of absence
without leave is case of desertion
the military court must show that
there was intent to desert on the part
Of the accused, otherwise it is case
Of absence without leave, for which
the punishment is not so severe as foi
desertion. Sometimes the intention |
detected by the accused having pur
chased a railroad ticket to some dis.
tant point. Perhaps he has sold part |
Of his military equipment, or has
told some one that he is sick Of the
army and means to desert. In such
cases the intent TO desert is evident
There was a case recently which came
under the notice of the Boston re
cruiting officers, where a young sol
der who had not been long in the
army, was for quite a time absent
without leave, but who returned and
gave explanation. which, while moi
exeusing him, proved that he had nc
intention TO desert.
He felt that his presence was alb
solutely required at home when some
member of the family was seriously ,
H. He could not get a long leave. /
and a short time was useless TO him /
Consequently he took the matter in |
his own hands and went home, where :
ne stayed until he was no longer need. c
ID there. Then he gave himself M
after having been carried on the I
oils as deserted for some 30 DAYS y
The authorities punished him for the "
'tfense OF absence without leave"
tut not for desertion. Quite a large :,
lumber OF men who have deserted Il
ONE into the city recruiting Offices al
the course of year and give them. q
elves up. Generally they have not 4,
ouno civil life as easy as the army. I'll
r have become sick of covering IN
he fact OF their desertion and avoid. 70
ng detection. The police sometime, o,
urn over deserters to the military an. dc
horities, and in these cases get the 10
eward, for there is the small remu
Grafton OF $50 coming to him who he
ives up deserter from the army &C
MY few days ago such a case oc. -,
lrred in this city. A man about 81,
'wn who was generally suspicious
laraeter, requiring constant watch ex
g, and who gave a good deal OF -
'ouble to the police, was learned b,
lem TO be deserter from the repu. 2
T army. This man they turned over Z
the military authorities. who took =
large Of him. When deserter Is an. 8
'ehended he is Immediately sent be.
re the surgeon. who determines
neither he is still fitted for service. z
wehther he has contracted dis.
Sc which incapacitates him. In the =
rmer case he is court-martialed. sen.
need, and after having served his
ntence returns to the ranks. some Z
mes, IL he is incapaeitated for fur.
er service he is given a dishonor- \
lie discharge and no other punish. &
mt. y
Desertions from the army have not z
en- as numerous since 1890, and The =
reduction of the army eanteen. as \
ey were prior to that time. The
n of the army to-day seem well n
listed and contented with their lot. q
sertion has been reduced 10 a min -
UNI. Sometimes men who have
we'd formerly and deserted reen.
under an assumed name. but snch =
n are generally detected. They Y
I've themselves away" by some point -
familiarity with the army life. <
ich leads to questioning and the in.
itigation Of their record. Nova y
rs there is very little desertion. z