THE LIE DIRECT

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1929, Page 5

THE LIE DIRECT

AIRMEN AGAIN ASPERSED

STARTLING NARRATION. ACTUATED EY MALICE. (Australian Press Association.) (Received. 8.28 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 12. The air inquiry was resumed today for the special purpose of hearing the cvidouco of William Angus ■ Todd, ship’s officer.

Todd gave evidence that while in hospital iu Wellington, New Zealand, recently he had read iu a newspaper where Flying-Officer Ulm had denied having said that he wanted to get lost in Central Australia. When witness came out of hospital he saw Mr , Hilliard, a solicitor, and told him: “I heard Ulm make such a statement. Other people wanted to know why I did not give evidence before the committee. Whilst I was second officer of the Tahiti in September, 11)27, I gave Kingston! Smith, Ulm and Keith Anderson lessons iu navigation. They approached me to become navigator of their itrans-Pacific flight. I got leave from the Union Company, but as our party was terribly hard up for finance I had do give up the idea of the flight and return fo work; but while we were discussing some methods of getting funds, at the Hotel Roosevelt, San Francisco, in October, 1927, Ulm interposed and said that had his plan for getting lost iu Central Australia for four or five days been followed, sufficient money would have been available and public sympathy would have obviated further worry. Anderson interjected: ‘lt w.ould not work.’ ”

Yv’itness said he made no comment on Uhn’s statement, because he was not interested in the proposed transpacific flight. Mr Cassidy,«counsel for Kingsford Smith and Ulm: “You have yom knife into Ulm, have you not?” Todd: “I won’t admit that at all.” Counsel: “Do you remember Ulm speaking pretty severely to you?” Witness: “And I spoke pretty severely to him.” Counsel: “You smashed up a motor car and Ulm had to talk pretty straight to you.” Witness: “It w.as’an accident. Ulm. drove the car back with me.” Counsel: “Did you ever say to Litchfield that you would do Ulm a bad turn if you could?” Witness; “I say Litchfield is-mis-taken.”.

Counsel; “Did you make a claim against Kingsford Smith and Ulm after the Pacific flight?”

Witness: “Yes. They offered- me £75 as a gift.” . Counsel; “You reckoned yau had a moral claim to £150?”

Witness: “Yes, because I .spent much of my time with the expedition and 1 considered I was brought ashore under false pretences. " Counsel: “I am suggesting that you are making this allegation against Ulra for spite. ’ ’ ' Witness: "Yes, I understand that quite clearly."

Witness added that Ulm had made a statement to the "San Francisco Chronicle" to the effect, that he was the navigator of the proposed Pacific flight and Todd was his assistant. This hurt witness.

Charles Ulm, recalled, said: "Todd is a deliberate liar of the lowest order, and Ills statement about getting lost is malicious. He apparently thought, with Anderson dead, that there was nobody to refute his statement. Todd Is an excellent navigator, with a frightful temper. Ho used to abuse, me when on occasions the crew had to go without meals in America. His drinking used to do harm to our project." Mr Myers, counsel for Anderson’s relatives; "Why do you suggest that Todd should invent a story about getting lost?" Witness: ".Inst his bad temper." Witness added: "Several conversations" took place at the Hotel Roosevelt, but never did I mention anything about getting lost. Todd was to get his living expenses while waiting for the flight to begin and £6OO on completion of the flight. The reason he did not accompany the Southern Cross was because the funds were so low. Wo received ’instructions- from. Australia to sell the equipment ami abandon the venture." The Inquiry then concluded.