IN RUSSIA

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1938, Page 5

IN RUSSIA

SOVIET TRIALS SELF-EVIDENCE OF MURDERS. s (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). (Received this day at 11 a.m.) MOSCOW, March 9. • Two world-famous doctors spent the . morning at the treason trial, eagerly describing their slow murder of Yagoda’s political opponents. Pletnoff told how lie applied unsuitable treatment ,to Kuibyshoff, after Yagoda had insisted it was desirable to kill him. Kazokoff confirmed Levin’s description of medical murders, and said Yagoda told him that Mendjinsky must die. Five medical experts are considering the doctors’ evidence. Maximbff, the last of the defendants to give evidence, - declared he belonged the Rightists since 1928. FURTHER EVIDENCE. MOSCOW, March 9. Yagoda, who earlier retracted his. confession that he ordered the deaths of Mendjinsky and admitted lu3 guilt at the evening session, but asked that his evidence be taken at a secret session. { Judge Ulrich granted this request. Yagoda’s admission was made after the evidence of Paul Bulanoff, his former secretary, who alleged that Yagoda attempted to rid himself of his political enemies by poisoning. Bulanoff said that he was visited by a man to whom Yagoda asked him to give £4OOO. Yagoda said that this money was for Trotsky. The man came five times during 1934 and 1935 and each time he received £4OOO on Yagoda’s instructions. Kryuchkoff, who was Gorky’s secretary, in evidence admitted the. “treasonable., killing of Gorky cuid bis son.” Yagoda said that as vice-chief of the 0.G.P.U., he supplied secret material which Rykoff and Bukharin used in their struggle against the Cojn- ' muhisU'P-ariy. d * ‘U *■ • i*>« Yagoda described, the fears of the plotters after his removal from the O.G.P.U.' and ilid appointment of Yezliov as chief. Therefore it was decided to poison Yezhov. IN THE COMMONS. A REFERENCE. (Received this day at 12.30 p.m.). LONDON, March 9. Rt Hon Neville?'Chamberlain in the Commons said that lie was aware that the prejudicial manner of ' the Soviet trial- was likely to"-affect Anglo-Soviet relations. He doubted whether the Untrue allegations would be believed-out-side'of Russia however. .“The British Government is not guilty of any breach of agreement with the Soviet and has’'not employed in the : ' Intelligence Service any of the British' subjects named at the trial nor had she engaged in any subversive activities whatever.” Miss Ellen Wilkinson (Labour) asked ' that~in view of the fact that many dis- 1 tipguishecl British <ytizens, such as * Lady Muriel Paget had been lecturing . on their experiences as members of the " British Intelligence Service, did that quite square with the Prime Minister’s statement. Mr Chamberlain replied that Lady Muriel had no experience with the British Intelligence. Her work was unselfish and humanitarian. ' Miss Wilkinson—“ Those of us knowing something about her work have reason to obubf' that statement.”