The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-08-01
b .ITTSH DESERTERS.
Remarkable Devices Resorte1 To to Is
cape Serving Cut a Term.


To Gesert from either the army or
the navy, says the Regiment, Is not the
easiest thing in the world, and even
when accomplished the culprit lives
in daily fear Of being reca ptured and
sentenced 10 heavy term Of imprls-
oament. Therefore, the devices en-
pIoyed by some deserters are as in
! genious as they are exciting, although
they cannot be said to be always
| crowned with success. For sheer au-
! Gacity the case of an Irish soldier who
/ deserted in south coast town some
wears AGO would be hard 10 beat. Just
at that time a number Of deserti0ns
had occurred IN the neighborhoOd,
and the authorities were therefore
unusually sharp 10 prevent further Of
lenses Of this nature. But the man
in question was dissatisfied with SOL
| diering. and having q number Of
| friends in the town who were disposed
TO help him, and being possessed Of an
unusually large modicum Of pluck,
resolved 10 delay his return TO civil life
no longer. One morning early he
slipped out Of barracks and made his
way 10 a friends house without be-
ing seen. Arriving there, he shaved
off his mustache, and, donning q po-
liceman's uniform, boldly promenad
ed the main streets of the town. He
was Of course missed in barracks and
knew that the surrounding country
was being secured in the hopes Of
finding him. On one occasion his
sergeant came up TO him and asked
him if he had seen or heard anything
of the missing man, but he, of course,
replied that he had not. but he would
keep his eyes open! For more than
fortnight he preserved his disguise
without it being penetrated by even
the police themselves, and lie then
calmly left the town when the hue and
cry had subsidized somewhat. Never
theless, his enterprise came to naught,
for he was arrested in trying TO work
his passage back to Ireland
Scarcely less audaclouS was the ruse
employed by another dissatisfied son
of Mars, and IN this case, likewise, it
proved futile. He happened to know
that certain publican in the town
was in anything but afiiuent circum-
stances, for he visited the house regu-
larly, and from remarks dropped a
odd times discovered that the pub
lican was heavily in debt to Scotch |
spirit merchant. One morning. as
soon as the publican opened his doors
the soldier arrived, after having first |
disguised himself with a beard and |
wig and donned civilian attire. With |
him came friend, who agreed to act |
as representative Of the law. and he |
promptly told the astonished publican |
that he had orders to leave a man in
possession unless the sum owing to |
the Scotch spirit merchant was paid |
TO him there and then. The publican.
of course. could not pay, so the de-
serter was quartered upon him and
lived in his house and at his expense
For more than a week before the de
ceptiOn was discovered. Perhaps the |
most successful deserter-for a time |
was William Conrad Through one
IF his comrades he heard of a man
whose son had gone 10 Australia gold
and had apparently disap-
peared, for nothing more had been
heard Of him. though the parent still
believed he would see him again.
Conrad therefore hit upon the ingen-
lous idea Of leaving the army bv
stealth, and, going to the man, in
form him that he was the missing son.
As his knowledge Of Australia was
considerable, he lost no time in put
ing his plan into execution. and the
parent, believing in him despite the
supposed alteration in his appearance,
provided him with home and money
galore. a commodity he confessed he
lacked. But, unfortunately for him,
II the end of IS months the real son
urned up. and what followed can bet
Ter be imagined than described.