ALLEGED ESPIONAGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1235, 18 September 1911, Page 5

ALLEGED ESPIONAGE.

THE CASE, OF MR. STEWART,

By TelegTaph—Press Association—Ooprri&hl

London, September 15.

Air. Bertrand Stewart, a Yeomanry officer, and a member of tho firm of Markby, Stewart, and Co., a well-known London firm of solicitors, who was arrested in Germany on a chargo of espionage, in a letter received hero affirms that ho does not belong to tho British Secret Service, and that he had no plans or photographs in his possession when arrested. Ho does not speak German. It is, he says, a case of mistaken identity. Tho Germans believe ho was connected with tho Borkum case, of which ho knows nothing. Ho will not bo tried before Novombor.

Mr. Stewart further states that ho has not altered his books or papers einco ho has been in Germany.

Mr.. Stewart is a member of a wellknown firm of solicitors. Ho is 38 years of age, and was educated at Eton and Christ Church. Ho served with tho Imperial Yeomanry in the South African War, and is a lieutenant in tho West Kent Yeomanry. The friends of Mr. Bertrand Stewart and others at Bremen who have been officially connected with his arrest on a chargo of espionage at Bremen (states Router's, correspondent) believo that tlio chargo is based on a mistako which it is hoped will soon lie cleared up. On the other hand, tho appointment of Justizrat von Gordon, who defended Lieutenant Brandon aud Captain Trench, to act on behalf of Mr. Stewart shows that tho prisoner's advisors reckon with tho probability of tho case going to trial before tho Supremo Court at Loipzig. There is no truth in tho report that Mr. Stewart was arrested whilo photographing forts. Ho was arrested at his hotiel.

In a statement to Reu tor's representative, Justizrat von Gordon regretted that it was impossible to give details of the alleged act of espionage. Such discretion was necessary for tho moment in the general interest, including that of tho accused himself. Dr. Otto, of Leipzig, who assisted Dr. Gordon iu tho Brandon and Trench case, has also ten retained for tho defence, as well as Herr Finite, of Bremen. The strong legal representation did not necessarily moan that tho case was a difficult one. It was accounted for by the fact that there had to bo a representative in Bremen as well as in Leipzig.