The proceedings in the Canteen ease opened at Bow Street
last Saturday before Sir John Dickinson, the Chief Metro- politan Magistrate. The defendants, eight of whom are Quartermasters holding honorary commissions or Sergeant. Majors, and eight civilians connected with the firm of Messrs. Lipton, Ltd., arc charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and offences under the Corrupt Practices Act of 1906. Mr, Muir, K.C., in opening the case for the Crown, after stating the nature of the charges, said that in every case the bribery alleged was for the purpose of securing that favours should be shown to the firm mentioned, and that the charges were made against individuals not against the corporation. The present proceedings grew out of the suspension, on the advice of the Attorney-General, of the Court-Martial appointed to try persons implicated in the Canteen scandal, on the ground that that Court could not try any civilian or retired soldier. and could only deal with offences committed during the pre- ceding three years. The evidence on which the Crown relied consisted for the most part of letters which bad passed between the defendants and Mr. Muir contended that they showed systematic and persistent bribery of Quartermasters, Sergeant. Majors, cooks, and other soldiers in a large number of regiments for some years, both before and after the passing of the Corrupt Practices Act, at the instance of the managers of Lipton's who were charged.
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