THE "I.W.W. TWELVE"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 280, 15 August 1918, Page 6

THE "I.W.W. TWELVE"

INQUIRY IN SYDNEY. Sydney, August U. In the Legislative Assembly the At-torney-General (Mr. D. E. Hall) stated that the I.W.W. Commission would commence its inquiry on Monday next. Mr. Hall also gave notice of a Bill to render Civil Sen ants liable to Federal income tax.—Press Assn.

rJIr. Brookfield, M.L.A., addressing tho Broken Hill branch of tho P.L.L. on August 3, imparted what he called firsthand information "about the I.W.W. twelve." It was, he said, a lio to say that Scully (the man who is being ■brought back from America to (jivo evidence) had been hounded from pillar to post by the I.W.W. prior to his departure for America. Scully had visited Jmld's house at least twice a week. They did not absolutely rely on Scully, and they had other Crown witnesses whose statements were even more damning against the polico than Scully's. They were not out altogether to provo the police guilty, but' to provo guilty everyone concerned, and to sec that all got the punishment they deserved. Some high public officials and some big business iuen were involved, but if they .succeeded in proving 50 per cent, of their charges it should be sufficient to secure Iho releaso of the men. Tho caso, Mr. Brookfield went on, was on all-fours with the frame-up against Tom Mooney in America, the only difference being that tho twclva were in gaol serving sentences, whereas Mooney was apparently about to loso his life. It was not intended to disclose the names of the Crown witnesses whose evidence would be valuable for ilie convicted men, for the reason that their lives would bo mado unbearable, and besides they would bo cajoled and 'bribed until won over.]