CLOSING SCENES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 9

CLOSING SCENES

SPEECHES EOR DEFENCE INHIBITIONS ON COUNSEL LITTLE HELP TO ACCUSED NEW ZEALANDER'S COURAGE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 19, 5.5 p.m.) MOSCOW, April 18 The court was packed with an excited throng to-day when the trial of the Metropolitan Vickers Company's employees was resumed. M. Ilia Braude, who has been defending counsel in many Soviet trials, said that any bribes his client Thornton had foolishly given for economic information did not constitute espionage. He spoke for 45 minutes, but was generally unconvincing.

On the other hand M. Aaron Dolmatovsky, counsel for Gregory and Nordwall, immediately mado good points. He said: " Lobanov, Oleinik and Thornton have given evidence against Nordwall,/ but the prosecutor called them abject, immoral types, so their evidence is discredited as worthless." Ho demanded Nordwall's acquittal. Counsel's plea, in which ho emphasised Nordwall's attachment to his Russian wife and his family life, and also his pro-Bolshevik sympathies, strengthened his client's prospects. M. Dolmatovsky decided that it was not necessary to plead for Mr. Gregory, whose release was regarded as certain. Strong Plea ioi Cushny

M. Peter Lidoff, counsel for Cushny, declared that there were not sufficient documents to incriminate his client. Moreover, the charges were based partly on the breakdown at Baku in 1928, on which testimony was only now forthcoming.

Cushny was alleged to have been guilty of bribery because ho had lent small sums to workers, who sometimes had failed to repay him. Counsel said that Cushny had received political and economic, not military, information. He was interested in everything Russian, but not from a spy's point of view. New Zealander Weakly Defended M. Nicholas Ko mod off, in defending the New Zealander, Allan Monkhouse, opened' unconvincingly like M. Brando, causing Monkhouse to frown, his lined, careworn face expressing profound pessimism. His counsel said that though their long residence in Russia had formed a bond between Thornton and Monkhouse, the evidence showed that Thornton did not tell Monkhouse all about his activities. Monkhouse could not have been the central figure of the group, as the prosecution alleged, because Sokolov and MacDo'nald did not name him, though they implicated Thornton. Counsel pleaded with the Judges not to confuse Monkhouse with Thornton, who himself was clearly the central figure and had attempted to implicate Monkhouse. M. Komodoff's omission to ask the Judges to acquit Monkhouse and his failure to mention Monkhouse's sensational charge that the trial was a " frame-up " caused surprise. Accused Address the Court At the conclusion of counsel's speeches, the accused were permitted to address the court. Cushny said: "My counsel has torn to shreds the accusations against me. Whatever the verdict is 1 shall leave the court an honest man."

Mac Donald, speaking in a dull monotone, said: " I nave acknowledged mv guilt. I have nothing to add. Nordwall said: "It was painful to hear the remarks of the prosecutor. I always did my work honestly and did all I could to help tho Soviet. The Ogpu treated me fairly and tho trial has been most fair, but I am not guilty and will remain a friend of the Soviet Union." Thornton said: "I pleaded not guilty at the beginning of the trial and I still do so. The evidence against me. has been unreliable. That is all." Monkhouse Speaks for Himself Monkhouse said: "I am absolutely innocent. I do not believe the documents produced would hold good in any court abroad. In regard to wrecking, 1 never knew a mother to plunge a dagger into tho heart of her child. 1 have never bribed and never will. The Ogpu found no bribe entered in the firm's books." Continuing, Monkhouse, who was the only one of the 13ritish accused, to mako full use of his right to tfce last word, said: "The only'serious evidence that J engaged, in espionage is the dociiment Thornton signed. 1 have known Thornton 22 years and am certain he did not sign it voluntarily." .Referring to the charges of sabotage Monkhouse said: " The Soviet owes the Vickers Company £1,500,000. Ihe firm hoped to get more orders so destruction of machinery would be cutting its own throat."

GUSEV'S HISTORY KNOWN AS POLICE SPY RUSSIAN WOMAN'S COURAGE (Received April 19, 0.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 19 The Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail says Russians in the French capital declare that Gusov is a police informer who has figured previously as a recipient of sentences, but has simply played the role, fully assured that the Ogpu chiefs would arrange for his safety and subsequent reward. The Daily Telegraph's correspondent says Russian women are better in crises than men. The little Madame Ivutosova was splendid. Sho spoke longer than any of the others. Her ringing voice, full of challenging anger, scornfully. rejected the suggestion made against her moral character. Madame Kutosova declared she had worked 20 years for the State and done more for the Five-"Ycnr Plan than citizens who were continually boasting of what they had done.