RUSSIAN'S EVIDENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21469, 18 April 1933, Page 9

RUSSIAN'S EVIDENCE

CONFUSED WITNESS monkhouse in the box information for company By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless RUGBY, April 1G At last evening's session of the Moscow trial Oleinik's evidence was continued. At first ho was led by the prosecution into making accusations against Monkhouse, and then against Nordwall. Oleinik was somewhat confused in his story, jit one moment referring to Nordwnll, for whom ho expressed personal animosity, as a "very experienced spy," and afterwards stating that he was afraid to give Nordwall spying information as ho suspected Nordwall of being likely to report him to the Soviet authorities. Oleinik got into further difficulties when he challenged Nordwall to repeat a " conversation he had with Gregory regarding wrecking," and then himself asked counsel to define the term " wrecking." Monkhouse then gave his evidence in °hief and was questioned by the president of the Court about his activities at Archangel and his acquaintance with Mr. C. T. Richards (now a director of the Vickers Company) there and elsewhere. Pie described details of breakdowns involving machinery supplied by his firm, and admitted obtaining general information to givo his firm data for determining its credit policy. J hornton asked to be shown the docuJ ment which was read to him in prison in which Madame Kutozova stated that he had received money from the British Consulate. The prosecutor stated that such a reference could not be made public. Gregory's examination followed, but no allegation against him was pressed. Further questions were then put to Monkhouse, and in course of argument with the prosecutor he admitted that the time of uninterrupted questioning in prison, during which he had been asked to confess, might have been shorter than 18 hours. On the Court reassembling this morning the prosecution asked for the inclusion in the documents of prison timesheets. This was permitted. Monkhouse asked for the inclusion of correspondence rebutting Oleinik's evidence. This was refused. TORMENT IN GAOL MacDONALD'S TREATMENT GRAVE ANXIETY FELT Times Cable LONDON, April 10 The Riga correspondent of the Times emphasises the grave anxiety which is felt regarding what is happening to the accused Englishman, W. H. Mac Donald, ! during the intervals at the hands of the I Ogpu in prison. j The correspondent says: "Mac Donald ; I certainly is being tormented. Foreign j j observers consider his plight desperate. I 1 Only extraordinary British pressure can I j save him, because the Ogpu does not ! ! allow disciplined prisoners to escape who have rebelled in open Court, especi- : ally in an important trial. The proceed- ! ings are exciting general abhorrence | abroad." SOVIET JUSTICE BRITISH DENUNCIATIONS Q LONDON, April 10 As the Moscow trial proceeds British press denunciations of Russia's judicial methods become deeper and deeper. Not since the Dreyfus case have influential journals been so outspoken. The Sunday Times, in an editorial, declares: " The evidence of the Russian witnesses is not worth sixpence. Tho Court relies almost exclusively on English 'confessions.' " EFFORTS FOR ACCUSED I SIR ESMOND OVEY SOVIET'S VERSION GIVEN MOSCOW, April 10 The Izvestia, in the Soviet's official version of the conversations which took < place between Sir Esmond Ovey, former I British Ambassador to Moscow, and M. Litvinoff, 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 i excursions would not help them and that further pressure would neutralise his efforts on their behalf. Sympathy with Russia's resentment of alleged sabotage outweighed Mr. Stanley Baldwin's statements, which the Russian Minister declared were a storm ill a teacup and could not dismay Russia. Nothing could stop the trial taking place, therefore Sir Esmond need not trouble to read the terms to his Government. This neutralised the British Ambassador's last effort. TRIAL SIDELIGHTS SMOKING ALLOWED MOSCOW, April 11 All Moscow is clamouring for admission to the trial of the Vickers engineers, but tho Courtroom holds only 500. Spotlights will play on the faces of the prisoners, who will be surrounded by Red guards. The judges and prisoners will bo allowed to smoke throughout the trial and a refreshment buffet with nonalcoholic drinks will be provided in a room adjoining the famous Pillar room where Lcniu's body lay in state.