HIGH TREASON

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2773, 17 May 1916, Page 5

HIGH TREASON

SIR ROGER CASEMENT IN THE DOCK

OPENING OF SENSATIONAL

TKIAL

TRAITOR'S ACCOMPLICE | ALSO CHARGED CASE FOR THE CROWN By TdesraDli—Press Association-Cooyrißht London, May 13. In order to ba sure of obtaining seats at the trial of Sir Roger Casement, ladies, equipped with cushions and literature, arrived at the Bow Street Police Court, at 1 o'clock in.the morning. The police supplied them -with coffee. Others assembled beforo 5 o'clock. Casement arrived in a taxi with an armed guard practically in secret, though hundreds of people had formed a queue before the Court opened. Casement stepped briskly into the dock. Tall and slim, with his grizzled hair carefully brushed, he appeared careless; but his twitching fingers and nervous movements betrayed his anxiety. He took voluminous notes. He made no sign of anxiety as the afternoon advanced. Also in the dock was Daniel . Julian Bnllev, a inau of different type. He is apparently an ignorant countryman. He was unshaven, and sat stiffly upright and motionless. Bailey, who is a soldier, was arrested with Casement. He was an Irish prisoner at Liinburg Camp, and accepted. Casement's offer to assist the (iermuus. He was a Reservist in the Irish Rifles, and was a goods porter at Padding, ton Station, when recalled to the colours at tne outbreak of the war. He sailed for Prance with the original Expeditionary Force, and was taken prisoner early in September, 1914. Sir P. B. Smith, K.C., and with him Mr. Bodkin (Public' Prosecutor) appeared for the Crown. Casement is being defended by Mr. Artemis Jones and Mr. J. Morgan, When the men were formally charged, Casement declared that Bailey was inuocent, and said ho wished to provide for Bailey's defence. The Attorney-General's opening statement was not dramatic; he spoke quietly and confidently .of most adventurous events.

Sir Frederick Smith's Opening. The Attorney-Geneial said that thu charge was that' Casement and Bailey Had committed high treason on divers occasions between .November 1, 1911, and April 21, 1916. The evidence, he said, would snow that in January, 1016, lie repeatedly addressed Irish prisoners at Liml>urg Camp (Germany), describing himself as an oiganiser forming an Irish brigade. He invited the prisoners to join, and : emphasised that everything- could be gained for Ireland by Germany winning the war. The Irisn soldiers,' he told them, had tho best opportunity they ever had of striking a blow for their land. All who joined would go .to Berlin as the guests of the Government. In the event of Germany (finning a sea battle, Casement said he would laud the brigade in Ireland; in the event of Germany losing, every man would receive from ten to twenty pounds and a free passage.to AmericaHissed out of Camp. Tho Attorney-General said he watf proud to 6ay that the majority of these soldiers treated Casement with contempt. On one ocmisiou he was hissed and boo-' hooed out of camp. The Munster Fusiliers particularly resented his proposals, and Casement was only saved from violence . by the intervention of Ms escort of Prussian Guards. " ... '" • -■•■■y Here Casement smiled and glanced at his fellow-prisoner (Bailey). The prisoners' who refused the proposal, continued counsel, were punished by having a reduotion in their rations. The few who were seduced from allegiance received certain privileges, and a green uniform decorated with a harp. Bailey was one of these. He was pionioted to the rank of sergeant in the Ger. man Irish Brigade, which was intended to raise an insurrection in Ireland. Bailey made a statement to the police oh April 31, asserting that altogether 56 Irish soldlers accompanied Casement to Berlin, where they went to t,he War Office. Later they proceeded to Wilhelmshaven, "The Best Laid Schemes Casement, himself, and a third Irishman, named Monteith, boarded submarine VJ'2O and sailed for Ireland, but were forced to return 'to Heligoland owing to an accident. Eventually they reached the Irish coast at Tralee. The three entered ti collapsible boat and landed one morning with ammunition, which thoy buried in the sand. Bailey added that he overheard that the submarine : was piloting to Tralee a Wilson liner, which was carrying 2000 rifles, several million rounds of ammunition, ten machine-guns, and bombs. ,■ k.l A labourer named Hussey saw a light flash out at sea, and tho collapsible boat shortly after came' towards llie shore. Casement was found hiding in a ruined fort. •He gwe his naino as Richard Morton. Later, in London, he confessed his identity. _ The police found in the sand at Iralco Mausers and ammunition, flash-lamps, maps, and a railway ticket from Berlinto Wilhelmshaven, dated April 12, which confirmed Bailey's statement. Thoy also found a flag (which the Attorney-General unfolded in Court) with a yellow castle ( on a green background. Casement, while en route to the Ardfort Barracks, dropped a paper containing a code relating largely to the dispatch of the rifles and ammunition on the Divers had since discovered that the vessel which was sunk on the Irish coast was named the Aude, and carried Bussian rifles of the 1905 pattern. The Aude had tit first refused to accompany the patrol ship Bluebell, but the latter fired a shot across her bows, and the Aude followed until nearing Queenstown, when she stopped. Tho Bluebell saw white smoke issuing from her side. Two German ensigns were displayed, and the crew took to the teats and hoisted the white flag. The vessel sank quickly. Evidence for the Crown.' John Robertson, a ' returned Army Medical Corps prisoner, gave evidence that Casement addressed the Irish prisoners at Limburg Camp. One of the prisoners attacked Casement. About fifty oi them joined tho Irish Brigade. The Irish prisoners were bettor treated than the English prisoners. Pamphlets and manifestoes -nure circulated, recounting Ireland's grievances. One manifesto said: "You fought for Belgium, though it is not moro to you tiiau Fiji.'' They were asked to sign a form declaring their willingness to fight for Ireland on the side of Germany. . „ ... ' John Cronin, Munster Fusiliers, gave cvidenco that the Irish were badly treated until Casement appeared. Then conditions improved, but the prisoners who did not join the brigade were not allowed breart, .-,.'., '•, William Egan, in his evidence, said that there wero 3500 Irish at Limburg Camp. . ~ Other Irish soldiers gave evidence that after tho Minister Fusiliers hooted and assaulted Casement, several wero punished by their rations being curtailed. . . . , Father Nicholson, an American priest, who accompanied the . brigade, and a sergeant-major of. dragoons, were sent to n punishment camp for calling Casement a traitor. TREATMENT OF THE REBELS STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT,. 15. In the Houso of Commons.: Mr. H. J. Tennant (Under-Secretary of State for War), in reply to a question, said that ho hoped to make an oarly statement on the disposition of the Tebels. The Govern, ment had every desire to deal with them as leniently as possible;

The "Morning Post" protests against the view that tho rebels are merely mis. guided idealists and that the only virtuous course is to discover what they really wanted and to give it tliem. It says: "The only way to restore order in a lawless country, inflamed by German conspirators, fed with German money, and spoiled by wanton indulgence, is to placo an honest, capable, and resolute administrator in charge."

' The ".U.ii!.y News" states that it has been .\n(o;v.:ed that communications between the Nationalists and the Ulster men are'at a deadlock. Tho Nationalist* are ready to, give up their arms, but the TJlstermun 'lave jaised difficulties. They say that if they do .relinquish them, they want to keep their arms in a handy place. The Belfast "Newsletter," the chief organ of tho Ulster loyalists, declares that n. section of the English Unionist Press is guilty of treason to the Unionists by demanding the surrender of tho Ulster Unionists. SET-BACK TO IRISH CAUSE ARCHBISHOP CAER ON THE REVOLT. Melbourne, Hay 16. Addressing the Hibernians' trienniul conference, Archbishop Carr said that tho Sinn Join rebellion had seriously thrown baclc Ireland's cause. He deplored I the rebellion, and deprecated tho con. tinued executions of rebels. Those advocates of the utmost severity of the law who thought fear would prevent further uprising must have misread Irish history.