STEWART'S STORY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1933, Page 7

STEWART'S STORY

TOLD TO COURT-MARTIAL

MARIE LOUISE AFFAIR

EXPLANATION OF FACTS

LIAISON AND LOANS

United Presi: Association—By Electric TeleEraph—Copyright. (Received March 24, 1 p.m.) LONDON, March 23. • As an officer Lieutenant Stewart had always a peculiar attraction for women. He had placed himself in a discreditable position by taking advantage of Marie Louise's infatuation to obtain money, but he was not guilty of treachery to his coun--try, said Mr. Norman Parkes, counsel for Lieutenant Baillie Stewart, in opening the defence at the courtmartial held under the Official Secrets Act.

Stewart, in evidence, said that he was Prince Henry's orderly at Sandhurst and visited Berlin, where he registered at a hotel in his own name and rank. He was sitting in a cafe when Obst, whom he had never ■previously met, asked him how he was enjoying his visit and offered to find him a companion. "Ne,xt day he introduced me to Marie Louise," said Stewart. "We met frequently.

"When I was leaving, I suggested a flying visit to Holland, and she eagerly assented. This resulted in my taking notes of train times. I agreed to visit Holland partly •as an adventure, but I anticipated financial assistance. I met her at the Hook of Holland August 27 and she gave me £10 in Dutch money. I revisited Holland in October and received £5, and again in November, when I promised to go to Berlin in the spring, when she wanted me to bring a motorcar. ' Shortly afterwards I received £.50, Marie Louise adopting the subterfuge of a loan which I followed. She also suggested that I communicate through Obst. I adopted a pseudonym because I objected to my own name going through an. intermediary. I received £.40 after the letters were opened. I thought possibly by my mother.''

"Stewart explained that he had the telephone number of the German War Office, because he intended to discuss regimental liaisons. He explained the possession of newspaper cuttings and the tank phonograph by his habit ■of keeping scrapbooks, while .references to tanks, equipment, and automatic rifles concerned arguments with his brother, who was also a soldier. He had never permitted the textbooks to leave his possession or disclosed the contents. He never suspected Obst or Marie Louise of being secret agents, and never discussed military matters with them. '

Cross-examined as to Marie Louise's social status as to whether she was single, he replied that he took evcrying for granted. Ho saw no reason to look a gift horse in the mouth. He admitted that she was apparently infatuated with him, and he thought little of her. He denied that he went to Aldershot before the trip to Holland to obtain textbooks.

The Judge-Advocate: Was the journey solely to get money from a girl you cared little about?

Stewart: That' is what I hoped. The hearing was ad.iourned.