Evening star., 1918-02-17
CHARGES AGAINST
REP|NGTON AIRED
Government Closes Case at
Trial of Famous British
Military Critic.
EDITOR ALSO ARRAIGNED
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 16.-Col Rep
ington. military correspondent of the
Morning Post, and Howell A. Gwynne.
editor of that newspaper, appeared to-
day In the Bow Street police court to
answer to the charge that they did
on February IL, unlawfully and with
out lawful authority, publish infor1na-
ton with respect to the disposition of
military forces of his majesty and his
majesty's allies on the western front
in France. in contravention of the de-
fense of the realm regulations"
Col. Repington and Mr. Gwynne
also are charged with having unlaw-
fully published information with re-
spect to proposed plans for the conduct
Of military operations by forces on the
western front in France
Courtroom Is Crowded,
The courtroom was crowded. Sir
Charles Matthews, director chief OF
the department Of criminal prosecu-
tions. occupied seat on the bench
with Sir John Dickinson, the magis-
trate. The prosecution was conducted
by S.r Gordon Newart, solicitor gen
eral. In the courtroom were Lord and
Lady Bathurst, Maj. Gen. Maurice, chief
director OF military operations at the
war office. and other military officers.
The solicitor general said he pro-
posed to proceed with the charge of
publishing plans and the conduct of
military operations. and pointed out
hibited the publication Of any informa-
tion which might benefit, directly or in
directly. the enemy. He argued that
II man took upon himself the re-
hfl 81.
relating to the disposition of any of
the forces or the conduct of any of
the forces. it could not be held that
that information was not calculated to
benefit the enemy.
Warning Has Been Issued.
The week preceding the Versailles
conference. said the solicitor general
a warning had been issued to the press
that 1t was of the utmost Importance
that no reference whatever should be
made regarding it. He pointed out that,
despite the warnings and the subse-
Quent refusal of the censor to pass an
article in its original form. it was
modified without submission to the CEN
sor. but the material was virtually the
same, and published. with a paragraph
added. which referred to the warning
and said: But there are times when
we must take our courage in both
The first witness was Edward Parker
an inspector of the criminal investiga-
tion department of Scotland Yard, who
testified that he had visited Col. Rep
ington on February 13. Repington said
he had written the article for the
Morning Post. but had not seen the al
terations. Repington added that the
article as published was not in the
words of the original manuscript.
Editor Admits Changes,
Later Parker visited Howell A.
Gwynne. editor of the Post, who said
he had published the article on his own
responsibility, after changing certain
passages in it.
Counsel for the defense interrupted
at this point and said that Col Reping-
| ton wished to take full responsibility
for the article in it's original form and
; also as published.
Sir Edward Cook, one of the directors
| of the press bureau. was the next wit
! ness for the prosecution. He said the
original manuscript was submitted to
! him and he refused to pass it. He wrote
/ a letter to Mr.. Gwynne, explaining thai
/ 1t was opposed to the regulations. AT
, midnight Sunday Mr.. Gwynne wrote a
| letter to him, saying that as time was
pressing he was taking the liberty OF
| changing the article and eliminating
the offensive matter ard would publish
/ it without resubmitting it.
The prosecution then closed and the
| case was adjourned until next Thurs
| day morning.
Another Editor Fined.
! H. de Wend Fenton. editor of the
Weekly World. was fined E10O in Bow
/ street police court tpdaV for pnbJi isy,i i'm q