On this day in Yorkshire
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March 21, 1916
At a town on the East Coast yesterday, an Austrian who four years ago was naturalised, was charged on remand with exhibiting a light which might act as a signal to the enemy.
Evidence was given that during the Zeppelin raid of the 6th instant, when the town was supposed to be in absolute darkness, a light was found to come from a second floor window at the prisoner’s house.
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Hide AdThe prisoner told the Court that he did not show the light deliberately. If any light were shown it was accidental. He had loyally kept the oath of allegiance. His two sons were about to join the Army with their groups. The prisoner said he was proud to be a naturalised British subject.
The Magistrate said the offence was not one to be dealt with lightly. There were a number of the prisoner’s countrymen naturalised in Britain who were anxious to know how far they could go towards assisting the country of their birth without being punished. As a warning to them he should impose a fine of £10.
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