A THIRSTY SOLDIER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 29 December 1914, Page 5

A THIRSTY SOLDIER.

COMES TO GRIEF.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.

To-day, a member of the Expedit onary Force encamped at Trentham, came before the Magistrate's Court on two charges. On the first of these (drunkenness) he ;vas convicted and discharged; but on the second, that of it'sing lobscene language in the City, he was handed over to the military authorise* to be dealt with. This order of the Bench was carried out, and Daivid Leckie, a young 'married ' soldier, was taken to the Mt. Cook barracks. On his arrival there he was set to work, but after a short tnie he became seized with a devouring thirst. To quench this he broke away from his guards, and rushed into town, it ii stated, in search of some beer. The Mt. Cook barrracks immediately communicated with th local police station, but a telephone message a couple of minutes later informed the civil authorities* that -the escapee had been recaptured. Tlv'.s time Leckie was put into a room on the top storey of the barracks, and it was supposed that he was in safe custody. The thirsty one, however, had resolved to get away somehow. The ancient practice of knotting bed clothes into a rope occurred to him, and the thought was instantly put into execution. Tying together «ome blankets that were in the room, Leckie proceeded to lower himself to the ground. Unfortunately the tying had been done carelessly; a. knot sl'pped, and the young fellow fell heavily to the ground. In his- fall, be struck once or twice ngabut some projections on the Iwildmg, and was badly hurt. He was taken to the hospital where a diagnoses showed that he war. suffering from concussion, and xevere injuries to his internal organs. He is in a cr'tieal condition.