TREASON IN SYDNEY.

Northern Advocate, 12 October 1916, Page 4

TREASON IN SYDNEY.

SOME STARTLING REVELATIONS

A GIGANTIC .CONSPIRACY

Australian and N.Z, Cable Association. SYDNEY, October 10. Startling allegations of a gigantic conspiracy to cause havoc and destruction and to endanger life marked the opening of the tearing of the treason charges against 12 members of the I.W.W. The men on trial are Charles Reeve, a native of England; Thomas Glynn, an Irishman; Peter Larkin, an Irishman; John Hamilton, a Victorian; Bernard Besant, an Englishman; Donald McPherson, a Scotsman; William Teen, a Tasmaniau, William Beattyi an Englishman; Mor : ris Fageu, a Russian; Donald Grant, a Scotsman; Thomas Moore, a New Zealander; and J.V.m King, a Canadian. Besides t'. ■; allegations of treason, the men \ver, e further charged with conspiring to burn buildings in Sydney and elsewhere in order to intimate and overawe the State Govern-

ment. The Crown Prosecutor, in outlining th. c , case, said the charges had arisen out of a series of city fires, which, if successful, would have caused damage to the extent of at least £1,000,000. The evidenc e would show that attempts had been mad e to place difficulties in the way of the fire brigades stopping the outbreaks. Accused were th e associates of a notorious German. How far German influence affected the fires it was impossible to show, but the tfactics adopted were pleasing to the enemy. The I.W.W; had adopted a deliberate system of sabotage to force the Government to release Tom Barker, publisher of the "Direct Action," the organ of the 1.W.W., who was imprisoned for making statements prejudicial to recruiting. The fires commenced on June 1 and aimed at a building owned by the Govern-

rnent. A further alleged object was to force the Government to abandon its conscription policy. Many fires occurred after Mr Hughes' declaration. On the very day of his speech the Cooperative Stores were blazing. This was due to on c of the accused. Another declared that he was prepared to burn down Sydney, and that he Would cost the capitalists £10,000 for each clay Barker was imprisoned. It was believed the organisation started ten fires, including thos, e at Winn's, Simpson's, Mark Foy's, Steadman's, Riley Bros.', Brown's furniture warehouse, Beard Watson's, and the BurnsPhil p wbarf. Evidence was given that an Austrian participated in drawing lots to carry out the plans. The Austrian then indicated which places he would attempt to destroy.

In the course of his opening address in th e charge of treason against the twelv, e members of the 1.W.W., the Crown Prosecutor stated that after the fires broke out in September, the accused desired to prevent the Government from submitting to conscription. Moore, the New Zealander, was present when lots were drawn, and he was afterwards seen near Mark Foy's premises. A detective heard Moore say, "This must go. Ten s ought to be let go at once." Later, Moore stated that it was bad luck so many fires missing. He said that thirteen should have gone.