Evening star., 1918-07-09
DOWNING DENIES
HE AIDED ENEMY
British Corporal, Once Pris.
oner, on Trial Before
Court-MartiaL.

LONDON. July s-The trial by
court-martial opened here today OF
Corp. Joseph Dowling. who landed on
the Irish coast In a German collapse
BILE boat two months ago and since
has been a prisoner In tho tower OF
London.
Corp. Dowling. in civilian clothes,
was brought to the court in an auto
ambulance. handcuffed to a British
soldier, and accompanied by a non
commissioned offlcer armed with = re-
volver.
the court.
Denies All Charges.
Corp. Bowling. who is slim in build.
of medium height and OF a wide
awake appearance, pleaded not guilty
to the formal charges. which are un-
der three heads: First, that while ne
was a prisoner Of war in Germany he
Joined hostile force; second. that he
endeavored to induce others to join;
third, that he participated in an at
land.
Sir Archibald Bodkin, the prosecu-
tor. described at great length the Ger.
man plot launched at the end OF 1914
for the of tha an ,rish Ish taRen Rsl
prisoner on the British front. The
scheme. Sir Archibald said. was re-
pudiated by most of the prisoners. but
Bowling and q few others Joined the
brigade and acted as recruiting
The prosecutor described the means
used by the Germans to induce Irish
men to join, and in particular the Ger
man promises to them. reading:
"At the end OF the war tho German
government undertakes to send every
member Of the Irish brigade to the
United States"
Reads German Document.
Sir Archibald I3odkin read long docu-
ment issued by the Germans at Linn
burg camp which said: "The Irish in
America are collecting money for this
brigade. Join the new unit and win
is to fight solely for the cause Of Ire
land with the moral and material as
sistance Of the German government"
The story told by Prosecutor Bodkin
Of the arrival Of Corp. Bowling In Ire
land follows:
a harbor on the Clare coast saw man
waving handkerchief on an island half
q mile from shore. He said he had
been washed ashore from the torpedoed
ship Mississippi during the night He
paid the fishermen five shillings to land
him at Ballyaline Pier. where he gave
his name as James O'Brien. described
the torpedoing Of the Mississippi with
great detail. stating that the ship came
from Baltimore. Later In the day bis
collapsible boat Of undoubted German
manufacture was washed ashore. Dowl-
ing had seventy pounds of English
money. He said he had como from the
United States to see Irish friends before
Joining the American Army.
Got Only Fifty-Three Recruits.
Prosecutor Bodkin in his address de-
scribed the German method OF dealing
with Irish prisoners.
Those who Joined the Irish brigade;
he said, ''were allowed distinctive uni
forms, special rsltions and side arms, and
mingled freely with the German officers
and men. Those who stuck to their
oaths of allegiance were treated shame-
fully, their rations were reduced and
every effort was made to punish them
for their conduct. Yet ffty-three was
the total number OF recruits tho Ger
mans secured after a long campaign
among the Irish prisoners.
1.-THE feeling against Dowing was
very strong among the loyal prisoners.
and on one occasion he was handled SO
roughly that German sentrtes had to
come to his assistance"
The prosecutor declared the whole
story told by Bowling regarding the
circumstances Of his landing and the
purpose of his visit was untrue, as
bowling later admitted.
"He was brought to London" con-
tfnued the prosecutor. and detained
at the Tower, where his brother visit
ed him. He told his brother that ne
came in a submarine. II he Should
now try to explain that he ceme In
the character Of an escaped prisoner,
our answer is that escsped war
prisoners are not providef with pas
sage in German submar,nes.
Owe Lives t. Gerard.
The first witness allied was British
soldier John Cro.fn. a former prisoner
AT Limbere. re described a visit he
maid to Sir B5ger Easement when the
latter wasattempting to raise an
irish bri ip,lde In Germany. Easements
afyorts 1e testified, were assisted by
an IrIh priest named Father Nichol-
son <ho was a frequent visitor to the
1--WE should NIL have been dead but
for the kindness Of Ambassador
Gerard" testified Private O'Sullivan.
formerly q prisoner at Limbery. dur
ing the afternoon session. I'VE were
actually starving and naked when Mr..
Gerard visited US and secured US q
supply Of parcels and clothing from
England. We would have starved but
for this, as tho Germans cut the
rations down twice al q punishment
for falling to Join Dowling's Irish
legion"
nA-.D ~ rA1 M