"HALL OF DEATH."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 26, 1 February 1937, Page 7

"HALL OF DEATH."

Verdict Scene in Moscow's

Mass Trial.

WHY FOUR WERE SPARED

MOSCOW, January 31

Although the other 13 on trial must die, Radek, Sokolnikoff, Arnold and Stroiloff were not sentenced to death owing to extenuating circumstances, namely, that although guilty on all counts they had not participated in actual terrorism or wrecking activities.

Those sentenced to death have the right of appeal to the>Soviet Central Committee, which must announce its decision within 72 hours.

The accused, pale and nervous, were brought back into Court at 2 ajn. to hear the verdict. They gazed forlornly at the 400 spectators who crowded the silent "hall of death," which wa< stuffy and oppressive in spite of th? bitterly cold nifht outside.

A military official, with a parade-like voice, called all present to attention as the judges returned. Judge Ulrich mounted the rostrum with quick, deter mined gait, carrying a paper on whicli the verdicts and sentences were written. He began to read rapidly and monotonously and rattled off the names of those sentenced to death as swiftly as the remainder while the prisoners' eyes were fixed on his face.

The audience tensely awaited Radek'f sentence, the clemency of which caused surprise as he had been the most defiant of all the accused. Judge Ulrich cut short the applause when he had finished announcing the sentences, declaring abruptly that the Court was dismissed. Then he departed and guards with fixed bayonets marched out the prisoners.

TROTSKY'S VENOM. TRIAL WAS "LIKE TYFHOID.' (Keceived 11 a.m.) MEXICO CITY, January 31. "The trial resembled typhoid dilirium," said Leon Trotsky. "To understand it."' he added, "one must discard all criteria of individual human psychology. "The defendants, before the eyes of the whole world, threw themselves under a chariot of terrible divinity. Unlike 1 the pious Hindu, they did not do so ■ voluntarily, not out of fanaticism nor ' in religious ecstacy, but cold-bloodedly 1 and helplessly under a' club which drove them into an impasse" t ======= _ = _-—————js^^s——= t [By special aTrang-ement Reuter's World Service in addition to other special sources ! or information. i.« used in the compilation b or the oversea? intelligence published m ,-itbis issue, and all rights therein m 1 i Mistralia and New Zealand are reserves. e i >urh of in,- cable n-ws on this page as c i> so tK-aded ha? appeared in ™ e J. ,m li. „ and is >oni to Uiis paper by special pe£ nii"-iVin it Mio.ilrt be understood that 11* '• -!■.,„, are =">t "»'** or " Ti,e uliAri stalvd to be so. J