RUSSIAN SPIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1927, Page 7

RUSSIAN SPIES

TORTURED TO “CONFESS.” 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, Sept. 8. The Daily Mail’s Riga correspondent states: Despite careful stage management, the trial of the 2G alleged British spies here is attracting little attention, according to the Leningrad newspapers, which report that the population are more concerned by the recently instituted ration cards for bread, flour, sugar, petroleum, tea and other necessities. Most of the evidence at the trial is based on the defendants’ alleged confession, many of whom were imprisoned and tortured months before they consented to sign statements admitting writing political reports for a British naval official, Boyce, to whom they were transmitted through the Finnish Consulate. The Cheka’s tortures have driven many of the prisoners insane. Others, believing the inquisitors’ promises of leniency, often sign documents which later prove their death warrants. A Dutchman, Huyer, is the Bolsheviks’ star witness. He formerly was a Tsarist officer. He alleges that Boyce forwarded funds to blow up several destroyers in the Soviet’s Baltic Fleet. The testimony of other witnesses was equally ridiculous. Persons attending the trial remark on the prisoners’ white faces and cowed demeanour.

SOVIET AND POLAND (“Times” Service.) LONDON, Sept. 8. The “Time[s” Riga correspondent says: The Legation shooting incident had resulted in a renewed coolness in Russo-Polish relations. The Soviet persists in distorting the incident into an attack on the legation. The newspaper “Isvestia” bitte.rly condemns the Polish press and public for refusing to accept the. Russian version according to the Soviet. Theii diplomats abroad are unable to carry on while international bandits are allowed free range. The paper declares that Fratkericks was slain both by the Soviet official and by British "diehard” Ministers.