CHARGE OF THEFT

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20691, 29 December 1938, Page 7

CHARGE OF THEFT

ACTOR'S CLOTHEB PAWNED . . YOUTH’S ADVENTUROUS CAREER FOUGHT IN SPANISH WAR (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 28 The Marylebone magistrate, Mr L. R. Dunne, after hearing a case in which Arthur Edward Gill, aged 21, a native of New South Wales, was remanded for a week on a charge of stealing £lO worth of clothing from Raphael Norman, an actor, said: ‘‘Gill does not seem to possess much brain, but he seems to have plenty of pluck.” Gill, who may be repatriated, wis discharged from the Black Watch after being sentenced for desertion. He appeared in Court in his Black Watch uniform. The police gave evidence that Gill quarrelled with, his father because he disliked college. He worked his passage -to Montreal, but was deported to England in 1936. He worked a year In

Glasgow, worked his passage to and from America, fought on the loyalist side in Spain, gave a war-blinded comrade £lO, came to England this year, joined the Black Watch, and later deserted. An aunt gave him £SO for him to return to Australia, but he could not prove the place of his birth. He shared a room with Norman, spent liberally, and became penniless in a fortnight. Then he pawned Norman’s clothes and went to Scotland, but was arrested at Perth, as a deserter. He escaped from his escort and plunged into the river Tay, from which he was rescued with a boat-hook in an exhausted state with his clothing ruined.