PROSECUTION OF A SPY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1911, 20 November 1913, Page 7

PROSECUTION OF A SPY.

' r-4- — ' CASE DROPPED: EVIDENCE TOO DANGEROUS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrieht London, November 18. The Treasury has withdrawn the prosecution of Karl Hents'chell, . a teacher of languages, charged with inciting Parrott, an ex-gunner • in the . Navy, who in January last was sentenced to four. years' imprisonment for espionage. This decision was come to because it would be contrary , to tho State's interests to proceed further. Prior to his confession, an official entrusted with espionage matters paid Hentscholl for information implicating -himself and Parrott. Hentscholl -.wrongly understood a promise regarding protection if he confessed. The prosecution reserves the right to prosecute Mm if the confession is publicly repeated. Hentscholl, who described himself as a German, with an English wife and two children, stated that he arrived in Australia in January, 1911, and intended to leave Australia to bring out his family. The Department refused him a naturalisation certificate, telling him to Teapply if he returned to Australia. Meanwhile he became a' teacher of ; navigation and languages at Sheemess. When he appeared in the London Police .Court on Temand a few- days since, the magistrate announced' that it was undesirable to mako his statement public. Hentschell, it is declared, purchased confidential books from Parrott, and sold the contents to a foreign Power. • The books dealt chiefly with gunnery, torpedoes, and signals. • HentscheU is alleged to have paid Parrott large sums of money, besides a monthly retainer of £8. ,