Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-22
FIVE YEARS. SENTENCE
GIVEN TWO DEsERTERS
Virginian Convicted Of DcScrtion and
Abandoning OF Guard Post
I'm War Time.
HOLIDAY IN CAMP TO-DAY
knights OF Columbus and Y. NJ. G. a.
Will Celebrate WaShington's
Birthday = Officers Sec Trench
Mortar Fired.

lSpecla! TO The Times D!Spatch.1
CAMP LEE. February 2l.-Two men.
one a Nirginian and the other Penn
Sylvanian. were sentenced by court
martial to-day to five years ut hard
labor for desertion. Unless the War
Department should revere the sentence.
Private Orben Durchc,t, Company A..
Three Hundred and Fourteenth Ma
Va. and Private Walter l.. Shindle-
decker, OF Connelsvillc. Pa. mem
Der OF Company /. Three hundred and
Nineteenth Infantry, will spend the
next sixty months at the disciplinary
barracks ut Fort Jay. y. Y.
Private Burchett faced trial on two
charges. one of desertion and the other
that he abandoned his guard in time
OF war. while performing guard duty
Cor the first time. He was arrested ~
Eggleston on December l6. The court
sentenced him TO dishonorablc dis
charge from the army, and fifteen years
at hard labor. but this was reduced to
five years by General Brett.
In reviewing the case General Brett
said:
THE accused man has been convict
ed OF the serious crime of desertion and
abandoning his guard in time of war.
The record shows, however. that he
came from primitive community and
had had few educational advantages.
AS he had been Ia the service but
very short time prior 10 his deserpon.
and was serving on hts first tour OF
guard duty when he left. the crnfRe-
ment imposed il reduced 10 five years.
and in order that he may have an OPP
portunity TO redeem his character, the
Atlantic Branch United States dis
ciplinary barracks, Fort Jay. New York.
is designated as the place of conhne-
ment.'
PENNSYLVANIA ENLIsTS
n A
Private Shindicdecker's case Is one OF
the most unusual ever tried by mill
tary court. On October 10 he deserted
his command and ne was arrested
few days later at his home. Tho Jail
was not strong enough to hold him and
he sawed his way through iron bars TO
freedom. In short time he had re-
pented OF his action, volunteered for
service at Akron. Ohio, and was for
warded 10 Columbus barracks, Column
bus Ohio. where he underwent regular
army training. Later he confessed MS
desertion and was returned to Camp
Lee for trial. and the sentence as given
by the court was confirmed by the COM
n!RnGiuC general.
Virginia still maintains Its lead in
number and in percentage of assertions
HOLIDAY PROGRAM
IN CAMP TO-DAY
Although WashinGton's birthday Is
not a legal holiday in Virginia. tho
Eightieth Division Will celebrate to-
morrow by dropping ali military work
possible. The knights OF Columbus
will observe the natal day Of the Faith
CT of his Country in its auditorium al
ESQ o'clock in the afternoon. when DR..
Paley. New York educator, will de-
liver the principal address. General
Brett will attend. ard music VIII be
furnished by the band of the Three
Hundred and Thirteenth Field Artil-
lery. Rev. y. c. CorriEan. the knights
camp chaplain, viii celebrate military
mass at the auditorium at 10 O'Clock.
and Bishop O'Connell. of Richmond. VIII
deliver tho sermon.
The students and officers In the Of
nccrs training schools will nold spe-
cial exercises tomorrow night in the
y. NJ c. a. auditorium. Lieutenant
Colonel Dewitt {. Jones. cornmandant
Of the engineers school. will speak.
ana Il special musical program will tc
hcard. Sergeant Browning. i member
cf the school in vocal selections: Cor
poral Earle Mitchell at the organ. and
Madame Malta Wittowski. formerly
principal prima donna at Coveat Gar
den, London, and more recently Of the
Chicago and Metropolitan Opera Com
panics. Will he the principal perform
crs Madame Wittkowskrs husband.
Captain Mallory. Is in the engineers
school