BETRAYING SECRETS?

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 December 1934, Page 9

BETRAYING SECRETS?

WOOLWICH ARSENAL EMPLOYEE. [BY CABLE —PRESB ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.] LONDON, December 15. William Burges, second-grade computer at Woolwich Arsenal, who on Saturday'last was remanded at Bow Street Court when he was chargeci, under the Official Secrets Act with obtaining on December 4 • certain sketches, documents and, information which might bo useful to an enemy, and with communicating them to an unauthorised person, was to-day committed for trial at Old Bailey. He is also charged with obtaining similar articles and with attempting to communicate them to an unauthorised person. The- accused pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. Evidence was given that Burges had approached the Imperial Chemical Industries Coy., Ltd., and had revealed to them technical information. It was stated that Burges received the Military Cross during the war. He was retired with the rank of Major. He had an. excellent war record. The prosecution said that Imperial Chemicals Lid. had communicated with the War Office, and thereafter the Company acted on the instructions of the Wai’ Office, in dealing with Burges. It was alleged that Surges handed secret documents to an “expose” officer. Then he arranged to hand over other secret information in Parliament Square, when he was arrested. Arthur Grimwood, who is a director of Imperial Chemicals, Ltd., gave evidence? that Burges, giving his. name as George Vincent, sent a letter regaiding information which the firm had requested from the Government, but which had been partly refused. Burges later brought documents, and he suggested that they were worth £100: An official at the Woolwich Arsenal said that Burges had been employed there for eleven years. His salaiy had been £274 per annum. A detective gave evidence that, when charged, Burges said: “I did this owing to financial diflicultics. 1 have now made things ten times worse. I will do anything to help you . 1 do not want to bring in sob stuii,”