MOSCOW TRIAL

Northern Advocate, 18 April 1933, Page 5

MOSCOW TRIAL

NEARING CLIMAX SPLENETIC PROSECUTOR DEATH FOR RUSSIANS DEMANDED ENGLISHMEN LESS HEINOUS • VERDICT 'EXPECTED SOON (

(United Press Association—By Electric ! Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received 9 a.m.) MOSCOW, April 17. ‘When the trial was resumed last evening the prosecutor, grim and redvisaged, wearing the Order of the Red Banner, urged the importance of the trial in the eyes of the world. He piled up adjectives in a deiiuneiation of the Soviet’s enemies. Referring to British attacks, he said: , “We have never concealed the class nature of our justice. Our eoiirts defend the proletariat as theirs defend the capitalist class. “Mr. Monkhouse must remember that he is here not as a representative of. ..the .Vickers = Company, but as an individual,’ ’ continued M. Yishinsky. *,<He is accused of espionage, sabotage and bribery.” : Towards the close of the session the accused listened apathetically to the weakening rhetoric of Yishinsky, who fell back upon techniealtiies and discussed the meaning of espionage. He declared that the Soviet’s interpretation' English legal dictionaries. M. Yishinsky claimed that the accused ■ Russians had proA’ed traitors, therefore ; he. demanded the death penalty for them. He emphasised that the crimes' of the Russians were more heinous than those of the Englishmen. This is taken to mean that he will not demand the .death penalty for the Englishmen. -It was decided to conclude the sumj jming up to,-morrow. After that the last pleas of, the accused will follow the defence counsel’s speeches. The verdict is expected to be delivered late to-morrow or early on Wednesday. ••

COURAGEOUS MONKHOUSE. • . VISHIN&KY HARASSED. “COMRADES” ON THE BENCH. (Times Cable.) , • : LONDON, April 17. The Riga correspondent of ‘ ‘ The Times” says that Mr. Monkh ouse’s courage and self-defence in challenging the: evidence of the Russian informers noticeably worried' the prosecutor, M. Vishinsky,' and completely put him out of ; his stride. •

.The Moscow correspondent of the * ‘ lilews Chronicle’ ’ states that M. Viishinaky: spoke for four hours and JieVer was at a loss for word or phrase, lie addressed the. Bench. as “comrades.”, .

AMBASSADOR’S FLEA.

ALL EFFORTS NEUTRALISED.

(Received noon.) LONDON, April 16. The Soviet newspaper “Izvestia’s” official version of the conversations which, took place . between Sir Esmond

Ovey, former British Ambassador to

Moscow, and M.. Litvinoff, the Russian Foreign Minister, demonstrates the earnestness of Sir Esmond’s efforts on behalf-of the Vickers employees. M. Litvinoff ; promised the accused men special liberties, but declared that the British Government’s alarums and excursions could not help them, while further pressure would neutralise his efforts’ oh their behalf. Sympathy with Russia’s resentment of alleged sabotage outweighed Mr Stanley Baldwin’s statements, which the Russian, Minister declared. were a storm in a tea cup and could not dismay Russia. Nothing could stop the trial taking place, therefore Sir Esmond Ovey need not trouble to read the terms to his Government. This neutralised the British Ambas- ’ sador’s last effort.

JUDGMENT PREDICTIONS. BRITONS TO ESCAPE DEATH. INTERNATIONAL EFFECTS FEARED. (Received 10 a.m.) MOSCOW, April 17. M. Yishinsky ended by declaring that all the accused, except Air Gregory, were guilty under Article 58, carrying penalties up to shooting, but the. failure of their plans must be considered in mitigation. It is.surmised locally that Mr Gregory "will be acquitted, Air IviacDonuld and Mr Thornton sentenced to ten years, and.Mr' Monkhouse to three years, Air Cushny (not Cushney) and Mr Nordwall bound over, Gusev and Lobanov to death, and the other accused to varying terms of imprisonment. The sentences of the Britons may be commuted to exile, since the (Soviet obviously is anxious to hear the last of the international aspects of the affair.