ADMIRALTY AIR CONTRACTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 12, 9 October 1917, Page 5

ADMIRALTY AIR CONTRACTS

ALLEGED CORRUPT COMMISSIONS

AIRMAN AND BARRISTER

The Admiralty prosecution-of William Augustus,(Jassdn, oarrister, of 8 Bedford Bead, Cbiswiok, and Wing-Commander . Porto, R.N.A.S., for alleged corruption in connection with aeroplane oontraots, was formally begun at Bow Street Police •'. .Courton Friday, August 3. Casson. is charged with receiving largo 6ums of money ,in connection with contracts mads between the. Admiralty and the Curtiss ■ Aeroplane Company V>f New York; A third accused, L. J. Seely, is in tho United States.. ... The Attorney-General- (Sir. J". E. Smith, K.C., SI.P.) prosoouted, and with him were Sir Arcbiba'ld Bodkin and Mr. H. D. Boome, for the Treasury. Sir. George lewis defended Commander J'orte, and Mv, N. J. Synnott appeared for, Mr, Cas- . Bon. ; . - .-...'...•.-• . The Attorney-General, opening the case, ' said the charge against both was; that they oonspired together and with other • persons unknown to defeat the Prevention .. of Corruption Act,-. 1906, and obtained the . largo sum of 443,000 corruptly. - Wing- • Commander John Cyril Porte, said the was for a time in the .submarine branoh of the Royal Navy, but . was invalided out of the,service in 1911. In April, 1914, ho went to the United States in.connection with a scheme.ior flying a seaplane named the America and built by the Curtiss Company, across the •Atlantic.' Casson undertook to look after • -the interests of tbe project .in Europe. Porte, by an agreement with the Curtiss Company, was to receive a commission of from 20 to 35 per cent, on tbe selling price of all flying goods, for which he obtained orders. • Then the war broke out, and Porte received a commission in the Air Department, and was to obtain a quotation from. the. Curtiss Company for two America, boats and two additional boats. Porte informed, Casson of the 29-25 per cent: arrangement between'himself and the Curtiss: Company. In September Casson: drew tip a document which transferred Porte to ' himself all Porte's interest m tho Curtiss ' boat and othor aeroplane transactions. This document was oonceived for fho purpose of shielding, Porte, whoso position 'is a commissioned officer under-the. Ad- • niiralty would not harmoniso with his being a beneficiary under the. '.urtiss i boat orders. The real, agreement between .' Casson and Porte -. was ayyerbal one ltf which commissions on the deals in boats should be received by Casson and divided bv him with Porte in proportions of 3 to Porte and i to Casson., Orders Valued at £2,2PM110.' . On November ilO Seely, 'thejluly appointed agent-of;the..Curtiss Company, 'arrived in Eonddn and.was immediately interviewed by'Casson; Casson"agreed to the round figure" of 15 per cent: on: all - orders from.the Admiralty to the Curtiss, Company.' This'percentage/was .to 'be split up equally between him and Porte, with Seely to have, iri'addltion, his pickings of 1 per cent. Orders were given for the whole output "for 12, months'of the Curtiss Company's' aeroplanes. By the summer of ■ 1916 orders - had' wen ' placed with the Curtiss Company to the , value of 42,200,000 and" 41.000,000; worth of goods had--l>een delivered; and the-Ad-miralty had made advanoes to the-com-pany: of '41,200,000. Thus they had paid at that time-4200,000'more ;in-cash than they had received' in goods. , ; ' '■ .•■ Casson was arrested on his. way to Prance on' some company business.' - I '". do not suggest;"-sa"id tho Attorney-Geh- • <ral, "that he was a'fugitive from- justice." When he was searched, an unopened letter from' Porte was,found in his pocket. It ran: :•' . ■ •■■■•"- My Dear Casson,—Many thanks for your letter. I have been trying to ' get you on the-'phone to-day, but all the i wires wera bold up. Things are going to move,, I gather, and I think it is most desirable that you should be-off as §oon as possible. •;. . "So far. as I am aware, commented •the Attorney-General, ."this.is -the first. instance on a large scale in whioh evil - practices of this" kind havo been detected," and it is of urgent- importahco that when practices of this nature are discov : ered they ''should'bV exposed and rigorously dealt with'." . .v. ' A Tragic Incident! , •', At this, point Casson .rose excitedly 'from his seat by. the side of' his-fellow-defendant, who was[leaning forward with an ashen .face and" dabbing a' .blood-: stained handkerchief to his -lips." .' _ "Commander Porte," cried Qasson, has • been suddenly token'.seriously; ill with' ', haemorrhage of ;the' lungs; 'He..visbes to bß'eicusedi Sir John;" '; ,■ . His'solicitor, Sir George Lewis, waved : him down. ' ."I. will 'saj '.anything;'here' that has to ba''.said;'*,: remarked Sir.. • George; "sit down, please, Mr. Casson.-' But, greatly disturbed, Casson remain-. /". Ed on his feet, and. swinging round and. .'. directing his voice towards the crowd;, at [ the back of the court, said: "Is there a-* doctor here?"'". '.' '. ,'Tlease don't trouble, I shall be ah_ right directly," said: Commander Porte. . Still wiping his :blood-stained lips,- he- . rested his. forehead on' the'rail before him. Chief Inspector Fowler' brought' him a glass of .water. A' sip of "it. an-' peared to relieve him, and he was led outofcoul-t onthe arm of the detective. ■Sir George I^eWis,asked that Commander Porte should be allowed to answer Mb; summons on the next occasion on bail of his own recognaisarices. Sir John Dickinson: "I will allow him bail on his own recognaisances of 42000." At this stago the case.wqs adjourned.