THE MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16761, 30 January 1918, Page 6

THE MOTUIHI ESCAPE.

COLONEL TURNER'S TRIAL.

COURT FORMALLY OPENED.

The trial by court-martial of LieutenantColonel C. Harcourt Turner, ox-com-mandant of the Motuihi internment camp, in connection with the escape of 10 German prisoners of war and one German civilian prisoner, was opened at the City Council" Chamber yesterday. The proceedings were purely formal. The Court comprised the following officers,' under the presidency of and in addition to Colonel N. P. Adams, C.M.G., New Zealand Field ArtilleryLieutenant-Colonel J. L. Sloeman, Imperial General Staff; LieutenantColonel 1). Pringle, 2nd, Wellington and West Coast, Mounted Rifles; LieutenantColonel E. W. I'orritt, 6th, Ilauraki, Regiment; Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. P. Frederick, Otago Coast Defence Infantry; Lieutenant-Colonel J. Deans, Ist Mounted Rifles, C.Y.C.; Lieutenant-Colonel F. T. Bellringer, 11th, Taranaki, Regiment. The waiting members were LieutenantColonol J. Hislop, 9th, Ilawke's Buy, Regiment; Lieutenant-Colonel J. P. Stevenson, Auckland Coast Defence Infantry; Lieutenant-Colonel G. J. Beattio, Now Zealand Field Artillery. None of the officers appointed to act as members was challenged, and the waiting members were, therefore, released. Tho Hon. J. A. Tole, K.C., appeared as counsel for the prosecutor, Captain P. E. Baldwin. Major J. F. Pullen, Garrison Artillery, appeared on behalf of Lieutenant-Colonel Turner. Colonel J. R. Reed, K.C., appeared as Judge-Advocate-General. Tlio following charges were preferred against Lieutenant-Colonel Turner: That, while acting as commandant of the Motuihi internment camp, he, without reasonable excuse, allowed to escape on tho ovenitig of December 13, 1917, certain prisoners of war and interned alien enemies, namely, Lieutenant-Commander Count von Luckner, Lieutenant Kirscheiss, Wireless Operator Grun, Wireless Engineer Frcund, Naval Cadets von Zatorski, Paulsen, Schmidt, Mollert and Klohn, Seaman H. Erdmann, and ono von Egidy, a Sanioan Government official, all of whom were placed in his care and charge; and, further, that he allowed Lieutenant-Com-mander Count von Luckner and the others mentioned to obtain possession of a launch and to make other preparations for their escape, without taking reasonable means to prevent it. An alternative charge is that he, without reasonable excuse, allowed to escape persons whom it was his duty to keep, in having dono the acts alleged in the particulars of the first charge. A second alternative charge is that lie, without reasonable excuse, allowed to escape persons whom it was his duty to guard, in having done the acts alleged in the particulars of the first charge. J Lieutenant-Colonel Turner pleaded not I guilty to each of the charges. Before hearing any of the evidence the Court decided to visit Motuihi, in order to become acquainted with the topography of the island ; the disposition of the guard on the evening of tne escape, and other matters likely to be referred to in the course of the" trial. The Court will resume at 10 a.m. to-day. ,