DUMB MAN SPEAKS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10230, 8 January 1927, Page 2

DUMB MAN SPEAKS

“BACK FROM THE GRAVE'"--TO PRISON.

The amazing story of Thomas J. Webb, who came ‘‘back irom .he dead” stricken, as he asserted, speechless and deaf in the war, hail its anti-climax in the little c ~ room at the Market Hall, Pembroke Dock. , Webb proved to ho neithei oeanor dumb and was sentenced to a month's hard labour, under the Prevention of Crimes Act, for being found in a public place tor the purpose of committing an offence. The story opened a few days oofore. when Mr John Webb, or 1 embrose Dock, opened his door in response to a knock and was astounded to see liis son, Thomas John, wuom lie believed to have been killed m the wav, standing on the doorstep. ft was sixteen years before that Webb left home, and poignancy was added to the situation when he intimated that he was deaf and dumb He was unaware that, his mother nail died nine months ago. In written answers to .pn stjons. he declared that lie (mil tramped from London to his home. • Arriving at Pembroke Vv orkliou.se lie wrote down his father’s name and was directed to the house. In the house he detailed an extraordinary series of adventures, declaring that lie did not remember where lie had been since 1918, except that he came to London from Switzerland. Here is tlie summary of the adventures he detailed: He arrived m France’ in August, 1.014, witli tlie 3ici Gloucester Regiment, and was Mounded at ifoos a year later. Recovering, lie was transferred to the lota Durham Light Inlanlry, end was blown up at Arras, in July, 1916, he was sent to hospital in Warrington, but returned to the front with the 4th Durhams, being blown up again in 1918 at Cabery Bush, near Arras'. He next remembered thing spoken to in a foreign language ny nurses in a camp surrounded hv barbed wire. _ , . His next recollection was arming at Dover in a. small sailing ship, and then he arrived in London. He remembered faintly that he lived in Pembroke' and began walking there, the journey occupying three months. It was eventually discovered, however, that lie; could speak and hear and his arrest followed. "When charged he said, “I have nothing to say.” Superintendent "Webb said that Webb had been in hands of the police practically all the time since 1917, and upwards of fourteen convictions had been recorded against him.