§ 42. Sir J. LONSDALEasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the fact that, at the adjourned hearing of the charge against Margaret Henderson Smith of having obtained a detailed drawing of a fuse and of giving information calculated to be of use to the enemy, the chief constable, acting on the instructions of the Director of Prosecutions, did not ask for a committal and the Newcastle magistrates accordingly discharged the accused; and if he will state why the prosecution was abandoned in this case?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir E. Carson)The evidence against the accused woman consisted of a telegram sent by her and a statement by her (which she afterwards contradicted) that she had stolen the drawing of a fuse from Elswick, where she had been employed. It was found that the telegram was addressed to a fictitious person, and that no such drawing had been taken from Elswick. There was therefore no sufficient evidence to justify a committal for trial.