ARRESTED ENGINEERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 April 1933, Page 7

ARRESTED ENGINEERS

MOSCOW TRIAL OPENED DETAILS OF INDICTMENT (BT OABLS —PBBSS ASSN. —COPYBIOHT.] (Received April 13, 8 a.m.) MOSCOW, April 12. The trial began at noon. Two Red soldiers, with fixed bayonets, guarded the dock. A dozen soldiers stood on the platform. Nine lawyers sat together. The public rose, as the Judges, wno were ordinary army men dressed in mufti, entered the Court. The Foreign Office issued a long summary indictment against Vickers British and Russian employees, charging counter revolutionary activities, damaging plant in order to undermine Soviet industry and weaken the Soviet state, collecting and utilising secret information of military State importance, and bribing employees at State electricity stations in connection with their counter-revolutionary wrecking activities. • * + An expert Commission appointed to study the documents reported that the breakdowns were due to criminal neglect or deliberate wrecking. A sample of the charges is as follows: —Guesev, head of the electricity station at Zlatoust, alleges that Macdonald gave him money to collect information dealing with military production at Zlatoust. The indictment quotes Macdonald s deposition as admitting that he did so under instructions from Thornton, which included’ more vaguely to “organise breakdowns.” Macdonald is alleged to have been under the impression that Thornton was acting in the interests of Britain. . Guesev gives details of wrecking acts performed allegedly on Macdonald’s instructions, for the purpose of lowering production of shells and high quality steel. The indictment credits Thornton with admitting that he instructed Macdonald, but denying receiving military or secret information. The charge against Monkhouse reads: “Between 1927 and 1932 when working in Russia as Vickers’ chief representative he belonged to a counter-revolutionary group, and collected through subordinate English and Russian engineers and technicians, secret information of military and State importance, participated in counter revolutionary groups wrecking diversional activities, systematically paid money for espionage, and systematically bribed and abetted Russian engineers to conceal defects in equipment erected by Vickers.” The charges against the others vary in detail, but are similar in principle. Macdonald pleaded guilty, and the others pleaded not guilty. PRISONERS’ ADMISSIONS. (Recd. April 13, 1 p.m.) MOSCOW, April 12.

Entering the Court without greeting his comrades, MacDonald, bearded, hollow-eyed and haggard, stood up in the dock, and pleaded guilty in the Russian phrase, “I recognise.” The Russian prisoner, Gusev, head of the electrical station, secured the entire attention of the Court when he said: “I started counter-revolution-ary work when I met the Metro Vickers’ employees. MacDonald suggested I should supply information regarding militarily valuable plant.” MacDonald, answering Prosecutor Vishinsky, admitted that he and Gusev were friends in 1930. He added that he sought the information in his own interest. Gusev answering Vishinsky’s staccato queries confessed to wrecking machinery and obtaining secret information. He declared that MacDonald had co-operated in his placing metal in machinery at Zlatoust. “Yes, that’s true,” answered MacDonald, in reply to Vishinsky. Gusev (proceeding) said he was paid only 750 roubles monthly. MacDonald gave him more. MacDonald gave evidence as to gifts amounting to 3500 roubles, but declared his ignorance of sabotage, in order to slow down the machinery at Zlatoust. Gusev added that MacDonald recommended Thornton as the source of information. MacDonald admitted writing to Gusev about the firm’s business. The proceedings were intensely dramatic after the dinner adjournment. Mr Turner (solicitor) sat with the British Attaches. Nine other lawyers were seated elsewhere. Gusev, after four hours’ evidence, trembling with emotion and nervousness, admitted all the accusations. He said that MacDonald lived a higher life than the other engineers. He added: “If my life is spared, I will reform and become a good Soviet citizen.”

Thornton, in the course of his evidence admitted meeting Gusev and MacDonald at a station buffet in the Urals, but he was not aware there was any espionage. His interest in gathering information was purely commercial. He gave MacDonald 2000 roubles for that purpose. Asked why he admitted cognisance of the espionage on March 15, according to the depositions, Thornton replied he w’as nervous, though the third degree was not employed. The Court adjourned until to-mor-row, all prisoners leaving together. They were not fatigued except MacDonald, whose statements caused mingled jubilation and apprehension in the interested circles.

MACDONALD KEPT ALOOF. RUGBY, April 12. Some four hundred people were present at the Moscow trial. It was noticeable that the slogans emblazoned on cotton streamers, which usually adorn Soviet Courts, were absent. The Englishmen, and the twelve Russians accused with them all sat together. Two Englishmen on whom the prosecution sets the greatest store, MacDonald and Thornton, being marshalled as far as possible from their four companions, Monkhouse, Cushny, Gregory, and Nordwall, who occupied the back row. The evidence which the prosecution’ advanced in the indictment consists almost exclusively of depositions of the Russian accused, and the deposition of MacDonald, who has not been allowed out on bail, and has during the last four weeks, been in prison, without being allowed to receive advice, or discuss his case with anyone

except the prosecutor, or his own State-paid Soviet counsel. * The evidence containing direct insinuations of the guilt of accused, apart from that which was secured from the accused themselves, consists of some extracts from the findings of the Soviet State Commission, and the testimony of two Russians. One of the latter gave part of his evidence in prison, while the evidence of the other consists of a statement to the effect he immediately handed to the O.G.P.U, the money he received from Thornton. All but one of the Russians pleaded guilty and MacDonald who was interrogated first of the Eng-i lishmen (out of his order in the list of accused) also pleaded guilty. A further session of the Court was held this evening, but the report of the proceedings has not yet been received. “TRIALS” A FARCE. [TIMES CABLES.] LONDON, April 11. The “Times’s” Riga correspondent recalls that all of the “wrecker” trials are based on the prisoners’ confessions, which were secured by the O.G.P.U. There is a web implicating all of the accused. When the prisoners showed a disposition to deny the confessions, a night spent in O.G.P.U. cells resulted in an alteration of their attitude. The correspondent adds: The alleged wrecker trials are not trials in an ordinary sense, but are public demonstrations of guilt, which has officially been decided and proclaimed in advance. The whole Court, even defending counsel, arranged on the side of the prosecution. When two defence lawyers at a Shakhintinsky trial in 1928, broke harmony with attempted i pleas of innocence of the accused, M. Vishinsky, the Judge, ordered their immediate arrest and trial for collusive disloyalty to the Soviet. Mr. Strang will attend the present trials. Members of the British Embassy staff and a stenographer will also be present. MRS. MONKHOUSE’S ORDEAL. LONDON, April 11. Mrs. Monkhouse wife of the arrested engineer, who is living in Hertfordshire, had her last talk with her husband in Moscow before the trial. He said he was not allowed to refer to the trial, but spoke to her about his will and all arrangements in case of —Mrs. Monkhouse was unable to finish the sentoucG She said she had been married 20 years, and had a girl of 18 and a boy of 12. She was not disturbed about the Soviet suggestions' concerning her husband. He was incapable of deceit. Madame Kutosova, the secretary mentioned in the White Paper, was her friend. She added she had a visa ready to go to Moscow, but her husband said her presence would cause him anxiety and embarrassment. “So,” she said, “I am -waiting. I have wept for a month. I will not weep any more. He asked me to keep calm. Ido not believe they will shoot him, but if they can arrest, they can shoot. What can I do.”

BRITISH CABINET. LONDON, April 12. Owing to the urgency of the Russian situation, practically the whole Cabinet is remaining in readiness to be convened during the holidays. At to-day’s meeting, it was arranged for Mr. Baldwin to call the Ministers, immediately the trial concludes, if necessary, to consider the position. A LABOUR APPEAL (Rec. April 13, 11 a.m.) LONDON, April 12. Members of the last Labour Cabinet excepting the present Nationalists, have asked Mr. MacDonald to extend the Russian, trade agreement for three months, to permit of a better atmosphere for the renewal of friendship with Russia. They state that this would possibly serve Vickers employees better than threats. It would not prejudge the trial, and would pre-, serve the basis of employment for a thousand British workmen. RUSSIAN PRESS TAUNT MOSCOW, April 12.„ The official newspaper “Izvestia” says: These barbarians, destroyers or machinery and enemies of technical development, will be tried fear of threats. The verdict will be enforced despite the protests and baitnewspaper describes the( British Conservative newspaper Protests as the voice of a naive softhearted old lady, squealing about the fate o. her little saboteurs and spies.