The Morning Post of Monday published a letter from Mr.
Leo Masse summarizing the allegations against Lord Murray in connexion with the American Marconi investments. Many of the facts are too familiar to be repeated here, but we may take one or two points from the letter. On April 17th the Master of Elibank (as Lord Murray then was) bought American Marconi shares for himself at £2. On April 18th he bought two thousand five hundred American Marconi shares for the Liberal Party at £3 5s. It thus became to the direct pecuniary interest of the party to ratify the Marconi contract. Ordinary applicants for Marconi shares were allotted only fifteen per cent. of their demand, Did the Master of Elibank, in getting the two thousand five hundred shares for the Liberal Party, apply for a much larger number, and pledge his party funds to the extent of nearly £50,000? As it was, the Liberal Party funds lost over £30,000 through Fenner's misappropriations. In August, 1912, the Master of Elibank tried to bring it about that the Marconi contract should be hurried through the House in spite of the Prime Minister's promise that it should be referred to a Select Committee. In other words, private interests affected public conduct.
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