CONSPIRACY AND TREASON CHARGES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 11 October 1916, Page 5

CONSPIRACY AND TREASON CHARGES.

■ SYDNEY, Oct. 10. startling revelations of a gio-anwo conspiracy to cause havoc and destruction ana endanger the lives of the people were made a* the opening of the treason charges against twelve .members of the 1.W.W., namely, Charles Reeve (a native of England), Thomas Glynn (Ireland), Peter Lartin (Ireland), John Hamilton (Victoria) Bernard Besant (England), Donald McPherson (Scotland), William. Teen (Tasmania), William Beatty (England) Morris Fagen (Russia), Donald Grant (Scotland), Thomas Moore (New Zealand), John King (Canada). Besides the allegations of treason, tlie accused were further charged with conspiring to burn down buildings in Sydney and elsewhere by means of phosphorous and inflammable material in order to intimidate and overawe the State Government.

The Crown Prosecutor, in outlining the case, said the charges had arisen over a series of city fires which, if successful, would have caused damage of at least a million pounds. The evidence would show attempts had been made to place difficulties iv the way of fire brigades stopping the outbreaks. The associates of accused were notorious German escapees from the internment camp. How far German influence had affected the fires it was impossible to show, but the tactics adopted were pleasing to the enemy. The I.W.W. adopted a deliberate system of sabotage, in order to force the Government to release Barker, of. the I.W.W. ■ .

■The fires commenced on June 1, and aimed at a building owned by the Government. Further it was alleged that the object was to force the Government to abandon its conscription policy. Many fires o&eurred after Mr Hughes'.declaration. On the very day of his sDeech the Co-operative Stores were ablaze, due to ?6ne of the accused. Another declared he was prepared to burn down Sydney. and that it would cost capitalists £10,000 for each day Barker was imprisoned. It was believed the organisation had ■started ten fires, including Winn's. Simpson's. Mark Foy's, Stedmnn'sj Riley Bros.'s, Brown's furniture warehouse, Beard's, Watson's, Burns, Philp and Co.'s wharf, Buckingham's, and Brenmin's (Newtown). The evidence would show how an Austrian participated in drawing lots tr> carry out tie plans. The Austrian then indicated which places to attempt to destroy.