ESPIONAGE CHARGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 44, 8 October 1914, Page 6

ESPIONAGE CHARGE.

SPIES IN BRITISH NAVAL CIRCLES. HAIRDRESSER IN THE DOCK. United Press Association. London, October 5. In connection with the chiirgo of . espionage; agaihst Karl Errist, a hairdresser, evidence was given that the police, by .examining the prisoner’s correspondence since 1912-, discovered that his shop had been used as a place of call for letters addressed to spies at Chatham; Sheerness, and other naval centres. A cable message published in the Sydney Sun on September 28th staffed : Karl Ernst, a hairdresser, of Caleclohiah rdad, not far from the Smithfield Meat Market, was, at the How street Police Court to-day, charged with espionage. Mr Bodkin, who appeared for the prosecution, said that the prisoner, while detained in prison, petitioned for his release on the ground that he was a British subject. Ernst concluded by sayirig that “if I am sent to Germany I shall be arrested English spy. Thus it will lie a case of out of the frying-pan into the fire.” Inquiries confirmed his statement that he was a British subject under surveillance from October last. Ernst, continued Mr Bodkin, was employed by a man named Steinbaeur who has figiired hr every espionage case during; the'last fovir years. Accused’s shop was kept under observation, and it was shown that he had received a number of letters from Potsdam, which he distributed to Gorman spies at Chatham, Sheerness arid other places. Accused was remanded.