The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-15


Addressed Irish in Germany.
In opening the case for the crown
the attorney general charged that
Easement had conducted a systematic
campaign among the Irish prisoners in
Germany with the purpose of seducing
them from their allegiance
Bailey, he said, had been seduced in
this manner and had made a state
ment explaining Easements action.
According to the attorney general,
Bailey was born in Dublin and Joined
the Royal .sh rifles in 1904. He
served with his regiment in India and
was honorably discharged On the
outbreak of the European war Bailey
was called out as reservist and sailed
with the original expeditonary force
to France. He was taken prisoner in
September, 1914.
The attorney general said Bailey
had related how a large number of
Irish prisoners had been collected
from various prisons in Germany and
placed in a large camp at Limburg-
There they heard addresses by Case
ment who tried to inflame their minds
against theN~British government and
persuade them to break their oath of
allegiance and support him in his pro-
jected expedition to Ireland.
Easement Breaks Down.
Sir John Dickinson presided. Short
ly after the magistrate had taken his
ers were shown into the dock
Easements appearance was vastly
different from that of the man who
gained fame in 1912 by his exposure
of the cruelties practiced on natives in
Putumayo by a British rubber COM
pany. He sat in the dock resting his
chin on. his hand and occasionally
looking toward the magistrate. When
the attorney general, in opening the
case for the. prosecution, mentioned
the comforting of the order of the
knighthood on Easement, the prison
er dropped his head. The attorney
general then outlined the prisoner s
career.
Outlines Revolt Plan.
| The attorney general said Easement
| described himself as the organizer of
| the Irish Volunteers and impressed
upon the Irish prisoners in Germany
that everything was to be gained for
| Ireland by Germany winning the war
Those prisoners who Joined a brig
ade he was attempting to form were
promised by Easement, the attorney
general asserted, that they would be
sent to Berlin as guests of the Ger
man government. In the event that
Germany won a sea battle, he would
land the brigade in Ireland to defend
that country against England, and if
Germany lost the war, the German
government would give each man 10
pounds to 20 pounds and free passage
to America.
This is the plan conceived in 1885,
/ said the attorney general, "by the man
who in 1911 was begging Sir Edward
to the king of the honor of knight
hood which had just been conferred
on him.
When the speaker added that Case
ment's offer was treated with con-
| tempt by vast majority of the Irish
prisoners, Easement smiled and
| glanced toward Bailey.
Smiles at Green Flag.
Sir Frederick Smith related the
story of Easements alleged machina-
| tons in Berlin with details of his trip
| by submarine to Tralee, where he
| landed On Good Friday, with Bailey
| and a third man named Montieth, who
| is still at large. He also told of the
sending of a ship with 10000 rifles
from Germany to Tralee and of how
| this ship was sunk at Tralee and the
| crew captured The attorney general
| here introduced a dramatic touch by
having brought into the court a green
rebel flag which he said Easement had
| brought from Germany to Ireland.
| For a moment the prisoner sat with
| eyes fixed on the floor refusing to look
at this emblem of the rebellion Then
he glanced up at the flag and smiled
| derisivefy.
|
| ney generals address he sat with his
| elbow on his knee stroking his beard
| Ia characteristic pose of the prisoner
| ever since his Incarceration in the
| tower of London. He appeared obliv-
ious of his surroundings. but occa-
sionally he glanced up quickly, show
ing he was listening to the proceed
ings. notwithstanding his apparent in
| attention
| Witnesses Are Called.
| The calling of the witnesses for the
crown began Immediately after Sir
| Frederick concluded his address. Sir
! Roger began to take a more lively in
| terest in the proceedings. He seized
a pad of paper which had been pro-
vided for him and started to take
notes of the testimony.
Spurns Offer With Blow.
| In his effort to raise an Irish bril-
| gade among prisoners in Germany to
fight against England. the attorney
general said the prisoner had met with
little success. Such men as he won
over were set free, provided with green
uniforms and received rewards When
the attorney general declared one of
| the Irish prisoners had struck Case
Iner1t in the face on being asked to
| join the brigade, Easement smiled in
evident amusement. Bailey was one
of the prisoners seduced by Easement,
the attorney general said, and was
made an officer of the brigade
| ExonerateS Bailey.
After the formal evidence had been
given by the police as to the reading
| of the charge to Easement and Bailey
! in the town of London, Easement arose
and said:
well, that man (pointing to Bal
| ley) is innocent. I think the indict-
ment is wrongly drawn against him. -
Easement then offered to procure
counsel to defend Bailey, who said he
was without means.
/ The first witness was John Robin
son of Belfast, formerly a corporal
in the royal army medical corps, who
was one of the prisoners taken to Ger
| many in the early stages if the war
and recently was released. He said
| that of four thousand Irish prisoners
gathered at Limburg to hear Case
ment'S exhortations, between fifty and
/ sixty ininad the Irish hficrad