OCR Text |
Show SOLDIER DESERTS TO AID MOTHER AND BROTHERS AYER, Mass.. Aug. 12. How army discipline was satisfied in trying the case of a IG-year-oId soldier who deserted de-serted to support his mother and two small brothers, came to light at Camp Devens today. Two days after Russell R. Caughn enlisted in company I of the 42nd infantry in-fantry at Council Bluffs, Iowa, last August, he received word from his mother that his father was incapacitated incapa-citated for work and that she and tho children were dependent on charity. Without the formality of applying for the leave, the boy went home and for six months supported the family. The day his father was able to resume work Russell gave himself up to the military authorities at Fort Omaha. The case was so plainly against the boy when he was court martialled for desertion that the court was obliged to sentence him to three years at hard labor, forfeiture of pay and allowances and dishonorablo discharge. Major Barrett O'Hara, former lieutenant lieu-tenant governor of Illinois, now judge advocate at Camp Devens where tha regiment had been transferred in the meantime, recommended clemency. The sentence thereupon was mitigated to six months at hard labor by Colonel George L. Byroade, commandant With all the requirements of strict army discipline fulfilled, Colonel Byroade, in the next breath, suspended tho mitigated miti-gated sentence and restored the boy to his old place in his company with a bit of soldierly advice. |