SPY TRIAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 254, 17 January 1928, Page 9

SPY TRIAL

MEN FACE GRAVE CHARGES HEARING IN CAMERA British Wireless—Press Assn^Co^ight Reed. 11.40 a.m. RUGBY, Monday. To-day in the Old Bailey, Thomas McCartney, a British subject, and George Hansen, described as a German student, were charged with espionage. Sir Douglas Hogg, the AttorneyGeneral, in prosecuting, said that the evidence which would be given by four witnesses was of so serious a nature that it would he necessary to hear it in camera. Outlining the case, the AttorneyGeneral narrated how an attempt had been made to use a Mr. Monkland, an underwriter at Lloyd’s, as a medium for obtaining important information regarding the British Air Force. McCartney gave Monkland a questionnaire on the subject emanating from Russia, and showed Monkland a letter from the chief Russian espionage agent in this country regarding payment for information supplied to the Russian Government. Monkland immediately reported the matter to the authorities, and, acting under instructions from the War Office, gave certain information to McCartney which was obsolete and misleading. Monkland continued his communications with McCartney, and eventually met Hansen, who proved to be a Russian super-spy..

Then the authorities, having established that McCartney and Hansen were engaged in a dangerous conspiracy against the State, arrested them. —A. and N.Z.