More Evidence In Spy Hearing

Press, Volume C, Issue 29435, 10 February 1961, Page 13

More Evidence In Spy Hearing

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, February 9. Eighteen more witnesses will be called today in the “secrets” case at the Bow street Magistrate’s Court. The hearing, now in its third day, is expected to end today. The prosecution has asked for a committal for trial of the three men and two women accused. In the dock are: Gordon Arnold 'Lonsdale, aged 37, s company director, of London; Harry Frederick Houghton aged 55, a civil servant, of Wheymouth. Dorset, and his fiancee. Miss Ethel Elizabeth Gee, aged 46, also a civil servant, of Portland, Dorset; Peter John Kroger, aged 50, a bookseller; and his wife. Helen Joyce Kroger, aged 47, a housewife, of Ruislip. They are charged with con-

spiring together, and with other persons unknown, to commit breaches of section one of the Official Secrets Act Opening the case on Tuesday, the Attorney-General, Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller. alleged that all five were jointly engaged in spying in Britain and obtaining and passing on to a potential enemy useful information. He said that Gee and Houghton "clearly sold the secrets of their country for money." Detective Superintendent George Gordon Smith, of Scotland Yard’s Special Branch, told of the arrest of Lonsdale, Houghton and Miss Gee near the Old Vic Theatre on January 7. and of the Kregers later at their home. A handbag carried by Mrs Kroger at the time was found to contain an envelope with a manuscript leitter in Russian and other messages in the form of microdots—tiny pieces

of film—on a piece of glass. He also described items found at Lonsdale's home, including aerial wire, draft letters, five and 20 dollar bills, a microdot reader, radio signal plans, earphones and a magnifying glass. A search of Houghton's home produced £5OO in a box, and later £650 in an empty paint tin in a garden shed. Miss Gee was found to have in her possession money, savings certificates and securities worth more than £4400 The prosecution alleges that Miss Gee, an employee at the Admiralty's Underwater Weapons Research Establishment, had access to secret drawings and test pamphlets, which she passed on to Houghton Then Houghton, also an Admiralty employee, allegedly passed them on to Lonsdale, who. he said, had originally been introduced to him as "Commander Alex Johnson, United States Navy.”

Lonsdale was in contact with the Krogers, at whose home at Ruislip, Middlesex, highpower radio transmission and reception apparatus was found This, the prosecution said, was "ideal for communication by spies and able to receive, and transmit messages to Moscow."

Other police witnesses yesterday told of the search of the Kroger home and the discovery of the radio transmitter and other equipment in a hole underneath rubble under the kitchen floor. The transmitter, in a grey metal container about the size of an attache case and looking like a portable typewriter, was produced in Court. Other items found included photographic equipment a table cigarette lighter with a secret cavity containing prints of radio signal plans, two flasks with secret compartments. 8000 American dollars and £2OO.