ADMIRALTY CONTRACTS.
ILLEGAL COMMISSIONS MADE. There, was an unusual ending at the Old-'-'Bailey yto," tho charges against 'Wing-Commander Porte, R.N.A.S., William A. Cassin, barrister, and Lyman J. Seelej' of conspiracy with referonce to commissions on Admiralty aeroplane contracts. The results were as follow: — The Attorney-General withdrew the | case against Commander Porte, who is to return £38,000 received in commission. Gascon pleaded guilty on 12 of tho 26 counts against him, and was lined £GOOO and ordered to pay all the costs of the prosecution. Seeley did not surrender to Iris recognisances. Sir Frederick Smith, in a statement of the case, revealed a. quite romantic story of tho the career of Commander Porte. For a time, he said, that officer was in the submarine- branch of the Navy, and was invalided out of the service in 1911. At the outbreak of war lie unreservedly offered his services to the country, and was now suffering | from a distressing and dangerous malady, hemorrhage- of, the lungs, and was dangerously ilL.' Casson was a man of legal experience, and should have known the seriousness of his acts. Porte was a, younger man, and the Admiralty did not wish to be deprived of his services, as he was engaged on work of national imnortanco. With the exception of £10,000, of which he had disposed, Porte would return £48,000 which he had received by way of commission. The Attorney-General further explained that Porto had been to America in connection with a scheme to fly the Atlantic. Afterwards, lie had an agreement with tho Curtis Company, by which he was to bo given 25 ncr cent of the soiling price of all " flying boats ". for which ho obtained orders. The company secured large Admiralty orders, and Casson received some £16,000 in commission.—The Judge ordered that all money received illegally in commissions should be handed back to the authorities. —The AttorneyGeneral said that the Crown realised that Casson had not the resources to nay such a largo sum of money. The fine could be deducted from the amount received in commissions, and the balance handed back to tho authorities.
ADMIRALTY CONTRACTS.
Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9212, 5 February 1918, Page 8
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