A FIRST-CLASS PLAUSIBLE ROGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 61, 12 March 1915, Page 8

A FIRST-CLASS PLAUSIBLE ROGUE.

At East Xt-nt Quarter Sessions, CanterUur.v, ixjuls Alfred Cope,-of tbe 117 th Battery.. I'.oyal 'I'-icltl Artillery, was charged, with unlawfully, obtaining over £3 from the Oouuty ol Company, Aslifofd. AcciistsU plcadod guilty. Connsel for the prosecuU6ii said nccnse<l deserted while his a battery was in-France in ; October. Cope, 'wearing n long khaki coat end a service rop. droTe np to.the parade iv ft motor car . with -.the letters

"0.11.M.5." on the baik aha .front of.lt. He told the manageri- "Lam »■ lieutenant in tbc Royal n.viug 'Corps, and. am carrying, dispatches. I.Want to commandeer a enr, as I have sot to eet to Ilastiii K s with dUpatches." lie explained that tlie car he was driving he bad couimandecrcd from a Folkstonc lady, and ht/had"promised to return it when Ue got,another car. A censed, who had his arm-in a sling, said he had' been ivoulMled. at Soissons. He to.d the manager to-send- the account to a certain hotel, and the manager let 'Cone haTe a Caf-and'aL'hriuffeur.- They'drorc to. Hastings, and next day when near Guildford tile-car broke, down, and Cope went off in •nother car.

Tbc police stated, that a communication from the commanding officer of the bat«ery describing the accused as a first-class plausible rogue,, and said he had rendered himself liable to be shot. .

' Accused, in' a statement,, denied that' he deserted, saying he became separated from his battery on the.march from Mans. ■.

Sentence ot tix awntb*' hard Üboot m