CHARGED WITH SPYING

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 252, 16 July 1915, Page 8

CHARGED WITH SPYING

STRANGE CASE AT NEWCASTLE, The Newcastle Magistrate remanded for inquiries and observation Margaret Henderson Smith, a young woman living with her mother in, Condercum St., Newcastle, who was charged under the Official Secrets Acts with having been in possession of a certain plan of a fuse; further, with communicating information likely to be prejudicial to the safety of the realm; and, further, with having attempted to- obtain information likely to be, of use to the enemy. . ’ :Mri 'Pearce, who appeared for the Director of Public Prosecution, said the matter came to Hgjit through a telegram dispatched by accused from Sunderland to Oliver, 33, Eye Hill, Newcastle, on April 18. The telegram read as follows:- —

to got information no-, apssnry.-: Wait seven ./tonight. Lights out last night. No clerks.” The imessage was signed." Schmidt.,” . There being no person named Qliver at the address given, the telegram was returned, and the, matter referred,t.p the police. Prisoner was . interviewed , : by Spperintendent Beatwxck, to whom she stated that she was .sworn to secrecy, and would say nothing. She was, she said, a pro-German.- • .. . Accused was detained, in custody, and nextd ay said she had obtained information for Carl Schmidt, whose address she declined to .give, but who, she said, was 45 years of age, tall,, thin, and well-dressed. She had obtained from the Elswick Works, where she was employed, a copy of a plan of a fuse, and had given it to him. She added that she had been at the German ex-Consul’s office at Newcastle, but gave no reason for going there. She had gone to Sunderland at Schmidt ’s instigation to ascertain when a certain captain of the Durhams wag going to the front, as he had very important papers relative to new,, guns being sent out. She had also inquired from a private in the Durhams for informaton, and said that the eolonel and the major—both of whom she named—had been called upon. She said, further, that Schmidt knew all about billeting contracts in the city. Mr. Pearce added that shoe was discharged from Elswiek Works in December, as her conduct was very suspicious. Accused was remanded.