ESPIONAGE CHARGES

Northern Advocate, 17 April 1933, Page 5

ESPIONAGE CHARGES

HECTIC INTERLUDE MONKHOUSE ASSERTIVE • LAW PROCESS DENOUNCED. TERMED A “FRAME-UP.” /(United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received D a.m.) MOSCOW, April 15. There was a remarkable scene at the trial of the Vickers engineers in Moscow today. When the Court opened the Now Zealander accused, Allan rose and asked to he allowed to make a statement. Three times ho was interrupted by the president of the court, but he succeeded in stating in English that the evidence of Sukurdutchin showed conclusively that the whole ease was a “frameup ” against the ‘ Vickers Company, based on the. evidence of terrorised

Russian prisoners. Monkhopse got as far as saying that he'knew from his own experience, in being subjected to 18 hours’ uninterrupted interrogation, when the president requested him to postpone his statement until the proper time. The • whole proceedings were disorganised, and all messages were, stopped until the official stenographers supplied the exact words used by Mr Monkhouse. The journalists in Court could not restrain their excitement and hectically: dashed to 1 and fro. Mbnkhouse’s . outburst perceptibly brightened the British Embassy’s personnel. The Court resumed after 20 minufes ’ delay. •

Russian Witnesses. Another of the-Russians who pleaded guilty, Krashetnimikov, head engineer of the Moscow electric station, accused of belonging to the so-called Moscow 11 sabotage .'group, ” , stated in evidence that he had received only 500 roubles from the Vickers firm, brit said he was promised more. ■f' Z prihj an engineer in the Moscow power.department, declared: “Thornton led me into, sabotage by giving me 1000.roubles,and asking me to conceal defects in machinery and supply secret information.” ■ ... .The .prosecutor, M. Vishinsky, referring to Thornton’s repeated denials and - accusations, .sneeringly remarked: /‘I suppose you deny that?” .Thornton shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head. Accused Outspoken. John Cushny, one of the Vickers engineers accused, a burly South African who served in_ the Air Force in the Great War, gave evidence that he had worked in. the Don Basin and then ht Baku, where he had 200 friends. He gave-some needy men £5 notes, and lent Others money, which was returned. He denied any connection with the breakdown of turbines at Baku, which, he said, was due to Russians’ carelessness in allowing water to enter. 4 Oleinik, a Russian employee of Vickers in England and Russia for 20 years, declared that he had been associated with Nordwall in sabotaging in the Don Basin when he spied in connection with military matters. He said he believed Thornton and Nordwall were working • with another organisation. Thornton interjected that witness was lying. Oleinik tried to incriminate Monkhouse as well.

At the evening session Thornton entered, the witness box, Ho .spoke with increasing self-confidence. He said he joined the Vickers firm after the demobilisation and went to London every year to give the company information about his work. He used many methods to obtain- business information. Thornton said. he never .spied, but he, admitted breakdowns at Zouevka, Baku, Cheliabinsk and Moscow. None was serious. Third Degree. The prosecutor, interrupting, began to read Thornton’s depositions, when Thornton sharply interjected: “I retracted all that. They questioned me until I was exhausted. I was also questioned on four following days., I signed the depositions under pressure. “It was suggested that if I confessed I would be all right and if I did not I should be useless either to the Soviet or England. I was so tried and browbeaten that I signed the depositions dictated in Russian. I was not tortured.’^

The .prosecutor: “Which Englishman in Moscow taught you to tell that lief’ - Thornton: “No one.” The prosecutor: “I know who did.” Thornton: “In this court I deny sabotage. I have always done my work well.” Allegations Denied. Madame Kutosova, marcelled, manicured, powdered and rouged, stood in the witness box and answered in monosyllables leading questions. She confirmed her depositions, \and admitted bribes which she said were not entered in the Vickers Company’s books, but in Thornton’s diary, which was sent to England in December. Sukuroutchin, Krashetnimikov and Zorin, standing and speaking in unison, corroborated this evidence.

Thornton then sprang to his feet saying: “I deny that.” “ Madame Kutosova went on to say that she first noticed the activities of Thornton and MacDonald in 1030, but she was powerless, as she had given her word to. maintain silence. “I was ignorant of the details of sabotaging,” said witness. “I only overhead conversations.” : M. Vishinsky, the prosecutor, denied the allegations of Monkhouse and Thornton that undue pressure was used when they were being questioned in the Lubianka prison. The court was adjourned. The president, M. Ulrich, expects to finish- the ease on-Tuesday.