Admiralty Air Contrasts.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 20 October 1917, Page 4

Admiralty Air Contrasts.

The Admiralty prosecution of William Augustus Casson, of Ohiswick, and Wing Commander iPorte, for alleged corruption in Connection' with aeroplane contracts, beguriat BoTV str6et, Loildori, on August 3. A third Recused; L. Jv Seely is in the United States.- j -

. The Attorney-General'(Sir"' F. E. Smith, K.C.j i M.P)-' -prosefcuted, and with him were Sir Archibald- Bodkin and Mr H. D. Roome, for the Treasury. Sir George Lewis-defended Commander Porte, and Mr ftf. J. Synnott appeared for Mr Casson.

' The Attdriiey-Gencral," opening the case, said the charge against'both was that they conspired >togetheT- and- with • other persons ■ unknown to defeat the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906,. and obtained the. large sum of £48,000 corruptly. Wiiig-Cbmmander - John Cyril Porte,' said the' 'Attorney-General, was for a time in the ; submarine branch' of the Boyal Navy,'but was invalided out of the service'in -1911. In. April, -1914, > he went to the United- States -in connection with a scheme for flying a seaplane named the America and built by the Curtiss Company, across the Atlantic. 1 Casson' undertook to look after the interests of the project in Europe. Porte; by an -agreement with the' Curtiss Company, was to receive a commission of from 20 to 25 per cent, on the 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 instructed to obtain' a quotation from the Curtis's Company for _ two American boats and two additional boats. Porte informed Casson -of the 20-25 per cent, arrangement between himself and the Curtiss Company. In September Casson drew up a document •Which transferred from Porte to himself all Porte's interests in the Curtiss boat and- other aeroplane tranfeactidns. This document was - conceived for the purpose of shielding Porte, whose position as a'commissioned officer under the Admiralty would not" harmonise" with his being a benefidiary under ther Curtiss f'boat 'orders;' The real' 1 agreement between Casson and Porte was 1 a verbal 6ne. by - which commissions on the "deals"-in boats should be received,by Casson and divided by him with -Porte In proportions of three-quarters to Porte and one-quarter to Casson. ; ORDERS VALUED AT £2,200,000.

On November "10 Seely, the duly appointed agent' of the'Curtiss Company, arrived' in London 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 ~tfas to be split'lip'equally-between'him and Portey with Seely to have,'in additioh/ 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 ordeTS had been placed with the"Curtiss Company to the value 'of and £3,000,000 worth" of 'been delivered," and the • Admiralty had made advances'to thecompany 'of £1,200,000. Thus they had paid -at that time £200,000 more in cash than they had received in goods. : Casson was arrested on his way to Fraiicie on some company business.; "I do hot suggest,'' said ' the' AttorneyGeneral, " that he was a-fugitive from justice."- When he was searched an unopened letter from Porte was' found in his pocket. It ran: ■ i My Dear Casson, —Many "thanks for your letter! I have been'trying Ito get "you on the 'phone to-day, but all the wires were held up. iThings i are going to movey -I gather,-' and I think it is most desirablbe that you » should be-off as soon-as possible. ... ;" So far as lam aware,'' commented the Attorney-General, 1 " this is the first iilstarice on a large scale iii* which. evil practices of this kind have been detect, eel, and it is of urgent'importance that w|hen practices of 1 this nature are discovered they -should be exposed andrigorously dealt with;" , A TRAGIC) INCIDENT.

lAt this point Casson rose excitedly froin his seat" by the side of his fellowd&feridant, who was leaning forward With 1 an ashGn' face and'dabbing a bloodstained handkerchief'to his lips.

'' Commander Porte,' ? cried -• Casson, "has been suddenly taken-seriously ill with hemorrhage of the - lungs. He wishes to be excused, Sir' John.''

; His solicitor, Sir' Ge6rge ' Lewis, Waved him down. "I will say anything here "that"has to be said," remarked Sir GeoTge; " sit down, please, Mr Casson."

ißut, greatly disturbed, Casson remained 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?"

''' Please don't trouble, I shall be all 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 appeared to relieve him,'and he was led out of court on the arm of the detective.

; Sir George Lewis asked 'that Commander Porte should~be allowed to answer l his summons on the- next occasion on bail of' his' own recognisances. Sir John Dickinson: "I will allow him bail on his- own 'recognisances of £2000 i" At this stage case was adjourned.