TO SET SYDNEY AUGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 243, 11 October 1916, Page 5

TO SET SYDNEY AUGHT.

ASTOUNDING ALLEGATIONS

AGAINST I.W.W. MEMBERS.

TWELVE MEW CHARGES WITH

TREASON.

(Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.)

SYDNEY, October 10.

Startling allegations of a gigantic conspiracy to cause havoc and destruction and to endanger, life marked the opening of the hearing"'of the treason charges against 12 members of the I.W.W. The men on trial are Charles Reeve, a native of England; Thomas Glynn, an Irishman; Peter Larkin, ah Irishman; John

■Hamilton, a Victorian; Bernard Besant,' an Englishman; Donald MePherson, a Scotsman; William Teen, a Tasmania™;' William Beatty. an Englishman; Morris : Fagen, a Russian; Donald Grant, a Scotsman; Thomas Moore, a Xew Zealander; and John King, a Canadian. Besides the allegations of treason, the men were further charged with conspiring to burn buildings in Sydney and elsewhere in order to intimidate and overawe the State Government. :

"Tlio Crown Prosecutor, in outlining the . case, said the charges had arisen' cot" of a series of city fires, which, if successful, .would have caused damage to the extent of at least £1,000.000.- The evidence would show, that attempts hadbeen made to place difficulties in the way 6f. M'.e fire brigades-stopping, the outbreaks-. Accused :were the associates of a notorious German. How far German influence affected the fires; it was impossible to show, - but the tactics adopted were pleasing to' the enemy. The 1.W.W.----had adopted a deliberate system of sabotage to force,.the.Government to release Tom Barker^'publisher of the TJirect Action," the organ "of the 1.W.W., who was imprisoned for making statements prejudicial to recruiting. The fires commenced on June 1 and aimed at a building owned by the Government. A further, alleged .object' was. to lorce tjie Government to abandon its conscription policy. Many fires occurred after Mr.' Hujrhes' declaration. On the very I day of his speech the Co-operative Stores were blazing. This was due to one of the accused. Another declared that he was prepared to burn down Sydney, and that he would ' cost the capitalists £10,000 for each day Barker was imprisoned. It was-believed the organisation startedten fires, including those at •Winn's,- SimpsonV, Mark F6y»s, Steadman's, Kiley Bros.', Brown's furniture warehouse. Beard Watson's, and the Burns-Philp wharf. . • ; " Evidence was given" that an Austrian participated in drawing lots to carry out the plans. The Austrian then indicated which placess he would attempt to. desjrov.