ESPIONAGE TRIAL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19177, 7 December 1927, Page 11

ESPIONAGE TRIAL.

MONKLAND'S EVIDENCE.

CROWN'S CASE CONCLUDED

(BT Ci»Ll-rR*»B ASSOCIATIO*—COPTRIOIIT). AND N. 7.. AXD Sl*S CAKLE. 1 (Received December 6th, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON. December 5. When the Court reopened and proceeded with the case against the alleged spies, Monkland (the underwriter at Lloyd's, who is the chief witness for the prosecution), under crossexamination, said he told McCartney (one of the accused) that lie might, as an underwriter, get information regarding shipments of arms to Russia's border States from Great Britain.

He did not suspect that McCartney was acting against Great Britain until he received flie first questionnaire.

Ho admitted that he had previously accepted £25 for supplying fictitious information, merely in order to discover McCartney's object. He was unable to say what lie would have done with the money if McCartney had never reappeared. Jt was a week or n fortnight later when he consulted the authorities. He adopted the dual pose after intei•viewing Admiral Sir Reginald Hall. He was unable to undersfand the phrase in the letter, "the remuneration he (meaning Monkland) asks is large,'" because he never demanded more money. Monkland said lie had never enquired as to the meaning of the phrase because he only wanted to discover what was happening. He agreed to accept £SO a month on Admiral Hall's instructions.

Counsel suggested that McCartney never sought information relating to aeroplanes, the mechanised army, or anything secret. Monkland replied that McCartney certainly did.

Monkland denied trying to get information from Hamilton which lie could handi on to the Russian Emb.w.

Admiral Hall was giving evidence as to how he arranged with Monkland to meet the chief of a Government Department when Sir Travers Humphreys (who is prosecuting) asked that it be heard in camera, and the Court was cleared.

The Crown case closed, but accused were remanded till December 12th because the ' next sessions open to-mor-row. Counsel notified that accused were pleading not guilty and reserving their defence. '

[Two men, Hansen and McCartney, are charged with spying on behalf of Russia. They approached George Monkland for information regarding the shipping of arms to Esthonia and Lithuania, atidl Monkland informed the Admiralty.]

SIMILAR CASE IN SWEDEN. (AUSTRALIAN AND K.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION) (Received December 6th, 8.25 p.m.)

STOCKHOLM, Decethber 5. A Swedish lieutenant engaged in coast defeiifce lias been arrested on a charge of betraying secrets to the Soviet Militarv Attache, M. Piiuloras.