SPY TRIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10451, 5 December 1927, Page 5

SPY TRIAL.

HOW PLOTTERS WERE GOT IN THE TOILS. EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES. (Received Dec. 5, 1 a.m.) LONDON. Dec. 4, Prosecuting Hansen and McCartney ’ at Bow Street, . Sir Travers Humphreys revealed that the foreign Power concerned was Russia. He said McCartney, a British Communist, in March, approached George Mo nekland, an underwriter Of Lloyd’s, asking information regarding the shipping of arms to Esthonia and LithuaniaT Mr Monckland supplied inaccurate information and received £25:. McCartney, later, said he was a Russian agent and supplied thirteen questions regarding the British forces. Mr Monckland realised that he was being .asked to betray his country and went to Admiral sir Reginald Hall, who would be called as a witness.,- Admiral Ilall placed Mr Monckland in touch with the authorities and a Government official, known for the purposes of the case as -“'Peter Hamilton,” directed Mr Monckland’s actions and received documents from McCartney which included _ a letter signed “H. K. Johnson ’ “Tell M. J. Monckland I have great hopes ho will become one of our most important men. if he delivers the real eoods he can have a large lump sum.” McCartney explained to Mr Monckland that agents were employed and were known as Johnson the" first, Johnson the second, etc. Hamilton provided a book _ relating t° the training of the air. force wluch was valueless owing to its forthcoming . revision. Sir T. Humphreys pointed out that McCartney was obviously well informed, as he returnecL the N.Z. and A.P.A. and Sun. - RAHL(Received December 5, 1 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 4McCartney, after a visit to Berlin, obtained a passport in the name of ’Hudson.” He handed over a second questionnaire which asked it a shipment of Vickers guns via ot.ier countries was possible, whether an allotment of aeroplanes. was beyond Farliament’s. authorisation, it tne aeroplanes’ performances . were obtainable,’ also information about super submarines, a flight to tne Baltic, who is hacking the 1 olish loan. Hausen in a letter to Moncxland, said lie. was carrying on according to instructions in (i re-coverea book, Ashinead’s Harrietts 'TpLy edy of Central Europe. He kept an appointment, whereafter Hansen followed and was arrested. Monckland gave evidence that McCartney ordered him it he had mos. valuable information to go to’ the Russian Embassy, see the att.nEe mid sav. he was a member of the firm of \rcos. Monckland added th;n when Arcos was raided McCartney telephoned to linn to destroy value-K documents and later said 1 able to warn Arcos of the raid comju,v o if.” He showed him n let**? signed “Barton.” written on Carlton Hotel notepaper, saving the raid had been ordered. McCaitnm, al -• said Sergeant Tankorps, an empm>,.of the aeroplane works at Southampton was supplying information. Major-GeneraV Carter, Director of •Staff Duties at the War Office gave evidence that it would be prejudicial to the public safety to publish the questionnaires A statement in i t Cartnev’s writing regarding the mechanised force mauouvres was founa on McCartney. . T -.... A typist, Audrey .Lawrence lain, „ave evidence thal'McCaitney, using the name Johnson, ordered copies ot r°document regarding aeroplanes He told her lie would not ; backing sheet. Later, on the • Government's instructions, she kept copies of McCartney, s .Jg The, hearing was adjourned.—A. and N.Z.C.A. ■