MIDLAND BANK CASE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18242, 28 November 1924, Page 7

MIDLAND BANK CASE.

FURTHER EVIDENCE. (BY CABLE— PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPTEIQET) (BECTEK'S TELSGBAMB.) LONDON, November 26. In the Midland Bank case a sensation was caused by Sir John Simon announcing that Newton had been offered £ 3000 to come to Court to give evidence'.

Newton gave evidence that in November, 1919, in response to a telephone message, he visited Mrs Robinson's flat. She told him she had met Mr A and an aide-de-camp. She added that Mr A was very wealthy. Mrs Robinson suggested that in order to get .money from him she should be discovered in a compromising situation with Mr. A, and Newton should take the part of her husband, because Robinson did not look like the husband of a society lady, and, anyhow, in all business they had done between them he always preferred to take a back seat.

Newton agreed to the proposal. There were to be' five people in the business. Robinson, Mrs Robinson, Bevan, the aide-de-camp, and Newton. The idea at first was that Mrs Robinson would return to Robinson's house in Chapel street with Mr A, and that Newton should watch the house and discover them together. The aide-de-camp said that Mr A had £600,000 in a bank in India and a considerable sum in London.

The matter ivas discussed from all angles. He was given a latch key for the Chapel street house. He- saw plaintiff in Chapel street 20 or 30 times. It was agreed that a solicitor was necessary, and Hobbs was mentioned. Hobbs first thought it a sort of fairy story. Sir John Simon later denied a newspaper report that the bank had offered £3OOO for Newton's evidence.

Mr Justice Darling explained that the payment was not for Newton's evidence, but for his risk of being arrested on returning to England, for his part in the alleged conspiracy. Newton, continuing his evidence, said that the parties in the alleged conspiracy frequently !held consuljjations. It was the aide-de-camp to Mr A who suggested that the matter should happen in Paris. Everybody was consulted about nearly everything that was done. The Robinsons, Bevan, and Hobbs all knew. He added that tho aide-de-camp took him to an hotel in Paris where he saw Mrs Robinson and. Bevan. Mrs. Robinson pointed out her bedroom to him. Newton said that it was arranged between the aide-de-camp, Bevan, Mrs Robinson, and himself that he would come to the hotel early in the morning. Mrs Robinson told him that no obstacles would be put in his way. He described the scene as he entered the bedroom. All the lights went on when he entered. Mrs Robinson jumped out and attacked him, saying, "My brute of a husband." Mr A tried to calm her, saying: "Maude, after all, it's yoijr husband." Newton addressed Mr A, saying: "Now I have the evidence I want.''

Newton told the aide-de-camp what occurred. The aide-de-camp told him that he had seen Mr A, who had left it entirely to the aide-de-camp to settle the matter. Subsequently, Newton said he saw Hobbs and Robinson at Newton's office, and reported everything that occurred. Hobbs and the aide-de-camp later visited him, and produced two cheques for £150,000 each. One was dated, but the other was.undated. The aide-de-camp explained that the ..dated one would be met immediately,, but'funds must be cabled for to meist the undated cheque. ■Hobbs said that Scotland Yard had been told of the matter, and there seemed to be a. lot of unpleasantness, if not- danger, about .it. ' Hobbs said that he told Robinson, who said that if that was the case he wanted to have nothing to do with it, and declared himself out of it. He gave Hobbs power of attorney. It was arranged that Robinson should be offered £20,000 for himself and the two ladies, and that the rest of the £150,000 should be divided between Hobbs, the aide-de-camp, and Newton.