ESPIONAGE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 5 December 1927, Page 6

ESPIONAGE

HANSEN AND McCARTNEY CHARGED RUSSIA THE FOREIGN POWER CONCERNED. PROSECUTING COUNSEL’S ADDRESS. (Received 5, 8.55 a.m.) London, December 4. Hansen and McCartney, two IrishAmericans, arrested on a charge of espionage last month, appeared at Bow Street. Sit Travers Humphreys, Senior Prosecuting Counsel to the Crown at Central Criminal Court, revealed that the foreign Power concerned was Russia. He said that McCartney, a British Communist, in March approached George Monkland, an underwriter of Lloyds, asking for information regarding shipping arms to Estonia and Lithuania. Monkiand supplied inaccurate information and received £25. McCartney later said he. was a Russian agent and supplied 13 questions regarding the British forces. Monkland realised he was being asked to betray his country, and went to Admiral Sir Reginald Hall, who would be called as a witness. Admiral Hall placed Monkiand in touch with authorities. A Government official, known for the purposes of the case as Peter Hamilton, directed Monkland’s actions. He received documents from McCartney which he land’s actions. He received documents from McCartney which he landed over, including a letter signed H. K. Johnson: Tell Mr J. Monkland 1 have great hopes of his becoming one of our most important men. If he delivers the real goods he can have a large lump sum. McCartney explained that Monkland’s agents employed in the matter were known as Johnson I and Johnso.n 11, etc. Hamilton provided a book relating to the training of the Air Force, which was valueless owing to a forthcoming revision. SilTravers Humphreys pointed out that McCartney was obviously well informed, as he returned the book, saying it was useless. VISIT TO BERLIN. McCartney, after a visit to Berlin, obtained a passport in the name of Hudson, and handed over a second questionable. He asked if a shipment of Vickers guns via other countries was possible and whether any allotment of areoplanes beyond Parliament’s authorisation had been made, and if aeroplanes’ performances were obtainable. He also wanted information of the superMarines’ flight in the Baltic and who was backing the Polish loan. WARNED ARCOS'. Monkland gave evidence that McCartney ordered him that if he Had most valuable information to go to the Russian Embassy, see an attache and say he was a member of the firm of Monkland. He added that when the Arcos’ premises were raided McCartney telephoned him to destroy valuable documents, and later said, “I was able to warn Arcos' that the raid was coming off.” He showed a letter signed “Barton,” written on Carlton Hotel notepaper, saying a raid was ordered. McCartney also said that a sergeant in a Tank' Corps and an employee of an aeroplane works at Southampton were supplying information. Major-Genera] Carter, director of staff duties at the War Office, gave evidence that would be prejudicial to public safety to publish. The auestionaires and statements in McCartney’s writing regarding the mechanised force manoeuvres were found c-ii McCartney. A typist, Audrey Lawrence Law, gave evidence of McCartney using the name “Johnson” and having ordered copies of a document regard.up aeroplanes. He told her not to use a backing sheet. Later, on the Government’s instructions, she kept copies of McCartney’s memos.

The hearing was adjourned,-(A and N.Z.)