OFFICIAL SECRETS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 145, 17 December 1934, Page 11

OFFICIAL SECRETS

ALLEGED DISCLOSURE

WOOLWICH ARSENAL CASE

LONDON, December 15,

William Burges, a middle-aged man, described as a second-grade computer at Woolwich Arsenal, who is charged under the Official Secrets Act with obtaining on December 4 certain sketches, documents,/ and information which might be useful to an enemy, and communicating them to an ■unauthorised person, also with obtaining similar articles and attempting to communicate them to an unauthorised person, has been committed to stand trial at the Old Bsiiloy. Ho pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence.

Evidence was given that Burgos approached Imperial Chemicnl Industries and revealed technical information. It waiv stated that Burges received the Military Cross during the war, was a retired major, and had an excellent war record.

Tho prosecution said Imperial Chemical Industries communicated with the War Office and thereafter acted on its instructions in its dealings with Burges, who, it was alleged, handed secret documents to an ex-police officer, then arranged to hand over other secret information in Parliament Squaro when he was arrested.

Arthur Grimwood, a director of Imperial Chemicals, gave evidence that Burgos, giving tho name of George Vincent, sent a letter regarding information, which the firm had requested from tho Government, but which had been partly refused. Burges later brought some documents and suggested that they were worth £100. An oflicial of tho arsenal said Burges had been employed there for 11 years at a salary of £274.

A detective gave evidence that when charged Burges said: "I did this owing to financial difficulties;' I hive now made things ten times worse. I will do anything to help you; I do not want to bring in any sob-stuff,"