RECRUITING FRAUDS IN ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3126, 3 July 1917, Page 5

RECRUITING FRAUDS IN ENGLAND

A DOCTOR CONVICTED.' London, Jxily 1. Dr. Bell was convicted and Mordecai Markham was acquitted in the recruiting frauds case.—Aus.-N Z. Cable Assn. [Sensational evidence was given in London in. May in the recruiting frauds case; in which several men, including two doctors, were charged with having been concerned in the issue of fraudulent medical military exemption certificates. It was stated that Sergeant On-, an Adelaide soldier, had desired to obtain a position on the headquarters staff. A man named Mordecai Marklam introduced Orr to Dr. Bell, who' received ,£°o for performing an operation on the knee. As a result of this operation Orr was in hospital for some time. He subsequently confessed to the Australian provbst-maxshal. It was then arranged that Warrant Officer Hawkins should obtain a similar introduction to that: of Serjeant Orr. In this'case Bell asked ,£SO for the operation, the arrangements being made in the hearing- of a detective, who was hidden under a bed in an hotel. The Magistrate intimated that ' ho was -reluctant to punish the prisoners for an offence which the authorities had instigated. The authorities might be regarded as agents provocateurs. The pro-' secuting counsel protested against the statements.] .