ADMIRALTY SENSATION

Evening Star, Issue 16547, 5 October 1917, Page 2

ADMIRALTY SENSATION

BARRISTER AND WING' CCftf- • MANDER ACCUSED. STRANGE STORY OUTLINED IN CONSPIRACY CHARGE. ' Statements of a sensational character were made at Bow Street Police' Court re-, cently, whero William August Casson( 64),’ retired Civil servant and barrister, of Bedford road, Chiswick, was charged on a warrant, and Wing Commander John Cyril Porte, R.N.A.S., appeared on a summons, for that, between August, 1914, and July, 1917, _ they did unlawfully and corruptly conspire together with Lyman J. Seeley to contravene tho Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906, in respect to large sums of money frony time to time corruptly paid to and received by Commander Porte, an agent of the Crown, concerning certain contracts made between the Admiralty and the Curtiss Aeroplane Company, of ,New York.

Casson, it will be recalled, was arrested at Waterloo as he was about to depart in the boat train for Southampton. The At-torney-General (Sir Frederick E. Smith), Sir Archibald Bodkin, and Mr R. D. Roome appeared for the Crown. Sir, Geo. Lewis appeared for Commander Porte, and Mr W. J. Synnot for Casson. Sir CharlesMatthews, the Public Prosecutor, occupied 5), seat beside the Magistrate, Sir John Dickinson. Casson and Commander Porte occupied seats in front of the dock. The former wore a grey-suit,; with dark overcoat ; while Porto, a fair, clean-shaven young fellow, was in naval uniform. ' The' other defendant, Lyman Seeley, did not appear.—ln opening the case the AttorneyGeneral said that defendants were charged with conspiring together and with other persons unknown with’.regard to sums of money corruptly received by Porto, amounting in all to about £48,000. The matters involved came to light as a result of an inquiry, presided over by Mr Butcher, K.C., with regard to the business relations between the Admiralty and the Curtiss Aeroplane Company. This inquiry was sot up by order of Sir Edward Carson, the First Lord of the Admiralty, as a result of certain matters which had come to light. Porte went to America in July, 1914, in connection with a project for flying across the Atlantic on a flying boat called the “ America,” constructed by the Curtiss Company, and which ho was to pilot. Casson was connected with the Curtiss Company, for which tho third defendant, Seeley, was publicity agent. Porto’s agreement with tho company was that ho should receive a commission of 20 or 25 per cent, on all sales of flying boats and spares which he might effect for the Curtiss Company. All the

PROJECTS FOR FLYING THE ATLANTIC, however, said Sir Frederick, came to an end with the declaration of war, and Porte returned to England in August, 1914. After the outbreak of war Porte was offered and received a commission in the R.N.A.S., and was instructed to obtain an estimate on behalf of the Government from the Curtiss Aeroplane Company concerning the lowest price of “America” and sister boats. Porte at once cabled to New York _ for an estimate, saying: ‘ Clients will only accept delivery in London.” In reply to this the company cabled that the price of a" boat would be £5,000, and two additional boats for £4,000 each, payment to be made in New lork. This estimate was accepted and cabled to New York by Porte. The boats were duly delivered, and, after being tested, were favorably reported on by Commodore Souter. Casson, who knew of the order for the boats, seemed at once to have seen that the situation would be advantageous to Porte, who had told him of the arrangement with the .Curtiss Company as to commission. He thereupon drew out a document by which the whole of Porte’s interest in the company should be transferred to himself. In consideration of this he agreed to pay all Porte’s debts and proceed at his own expense to New iork. The object of this was to make it clear that Porte’s position as a naval officer prevented him from continuing his connection with the company. The real agreement, however, between Porte and Casson was a verbal one, and by this it was arranged that Porte was to receive' tnree-quarters of 20 per cent, or 25 per Cei \k of the commission on all the orders, and that Casson was to receive one-quar-ter. The Attorney-General proceeded to read n. numbex' of cables sent by Casson to the Curtiss Company with regard to contracts for flying boats for the Admiralty. Luring this time Seeley arrived in London from New York, bringing with him authonty to pay to Casson 15 per cent, commission on all Admiralty orders. In order that Casson should not bo brought too prominently before the Admiralty, it was aranged that Seeley would act as agent of the Curtiss Company in its dealings with the Admiralty. ..For this Seeley WAS TO RECEIVE A COJBIISSION of 1 per cent., in addition to halving the 15 per cent, paid by the company to Caseon. It was further arranged that Porte should take Seeley to the Admiralty, and introduce him there to see Commander I bouter. When at the Admiralty Soelev | gave a receipt for an order for four flyinh boats for the Admiralty to the Curtiss Company. There could be no doubt that Porto was kept well informed of the arrangements that were being made between Casson and Seeley, by which Porte was to receive three-fourths of the 7£ per cent, and Casson one-fourth, the other half of the 15 per cent, going to Seeley. It was obvious, said the Attorney-General, in view of the largo sums involved, that the money paid for commission would be very considerable for each' of the defendants On November 28 the Admiralty realised the great necessity of adding to our air resources, and placed with the Curtiss Company an order for the whole of their output for 12 months. From time to time they remitted large sums to the company for aeroplanes, seaplanes, and other machines on account of orders amounting to £2.200,000. Machines to the value cf £1,000,000 were delivered, but the Admiralty had actually paid £1,200,000. Porte’e sliare as a result of the transactions amounted to over £48,000, while Cassqn’s was £16,200. At the time of the Admiralty inquiry investments had been made in Porte’s name by Casson, but these were subsequently transferred by Porte to Cnsson’s name. Porte knew that Casson was receiving enormous suras for practically doing nothing, and that he (Porte) was receiving money as the result of the Admiralty contracts with the Curtiss Company, which he must have known he was not entitled to. It was not suggested that Porte was not a thoroughly capable and skilled officer in his duties," but the fact remained that he had accepted this money knowing full Well that he was nob entitled to a penny of lb. It was the first case of the kind, concluded the AttorneyGeneral, since the war began. At the conclusion of tho AttorneyGeneral’s speech Porto became suddenly ill. He was seen to bo bleeding from the mouth, and- had to bo assisted from the court. It wtus explained that lie was suffering from hemorrhage .of the lungs. The hearing was adjourned. Porte was admitted to bail in his own recognisances of £2,000. And Oessori was allowed hail in two sureties of £SOO.