Denaby Woman’s Serious Offence – Concealing a Deserter – Husband in Hospital

April 1916

Mexborough and Swinton Times April 15, 1916

Denaby Woman’s Serious Offence
Concealing a Deserter
Husband in Hospital

An New Conisbrough married woman, named Ruth Gedney, was summoned for concealing a deserter.

PC Roper said at 3:50 PM on March 28, he visited defendant’s house in Clifton Street, New Conisbrough in company with Inspector Barraclough, for the purpose of making enquiries concerning a soldier who was gazetted as a deserter from the Army.

When they got to the house they found the door locked, and they knocked several times.

Defendant (interrupting): You only knocked once.

Proceeding, the witness said eventually the doors open, and they saw the defendant, all they asked if she knew as the man was a dessert. She replied “Yes.”

He then asked her if he was still in the house, or if she had seen him lately.

She replied “No, and I am certain he is not in my house and not been for months and months.”

They then told her they had good reason to believe he was in the house, and they were going to search it. They went upstairs and found a soldier underneath the bed, and they apprehended him. Then told defendant of the seriousness of the offence, and she replied, “For God’s sake don’t report me. Whatever will my husband say if he gets to know.”

The man be working away during the week and coming there at weekends.

Inspector Barraclough, who corroborated, said when they pull the soldier from underneath the bed, the defendant through arms round the man’s neck and begged them not to take him.

Superintendent Minty: And did she kiss him – the soldier – Yes.

The Inspector also said he told it was a serious matter. The woman’s husband, it was stated, was at present wounded and in hospital.

The defendant pleaded that she did not know the soldier was a deserter, she would have given them away. She had not seen him since last Mexborough Feast. He told her been discharged from the Army, and when she questioned him about the police he said he’d been summoned for gambling.

She was ordered to pay a fine of £2 10s. On a charge of having been drunk and disorderly she was fine 6/-