PREPARED TO DIE

Evening Post, Issue 47, 24 August 1936, Page 9

PREPARED TO DIE

RUSSIAN ACCUSED

DEATH SENTENCE DEMANDED

SERVING THE SOVIET

United Tress Association—-By Klcdrlc TeloKrniili—Copyright. (Received August 24, 10 a.m.) MOSCOW, August 23. Describing the accused in the Moscow treason trial as "a murderous, despicable band of mad Fascist dogs and the scum of the underworld," the Prosecutor demanded the death sentence. The prisoners, listened in a state of collapse to thev German emigre Fritz David give evidence that he actually pointed a revolver at Stalin but was unnerved by'the enthusiastic reception Congress gave the dictator. He added that the attempt was made on Trotsky's personal instructions when David visited him at Copenhagen. In his final address to the Court Kamenev said: "I don't ask for mercy, but I wish to leave a last message to my wife and three children: 'Be good and follow the party.' I have conducted a personal fight against Stalin, who is the world's greatest leader of workers, yet the Communist Party has tolerated me for twelve years. Three times I have been expelled, but I have been reinstated and given responsible, posts. There is. no such example of toleration in the history of revolution in, any other country. I don't fear death. Having failed to sferve the: Revolution by living, I am ready to serve it by dying.'' Zinoviev made a full confession of his guilt, and said in conclusion, that the Prosecutor's demand for the death sentence was fully justified and legal and there was no doubt that it would be fully, supported by the workers of the Soviet Union and by/ workers abroad. "The death sentence will be just," he said. "I don't fear death, and prefer it to looking through prison bars 'at Soviet progress."After hearing the sixteen prisoners the Court retired.