MR. CHARLES THORNTON
DEATH ANNOUNCED SON IN MOSCOW TRIAL LONDON, June 0 The death has occurred of a former New Zealauder, Mr. Charles Thornton, father of Mr. Leslie Thornton, who figured in the Metropolitan-Yickers trial at Moscow.
The trial of six British employees of the Metropolitan Vickers Company, and of 11 Russians, was commenced in the hall of the Trades Unions in April, 19153. The indictment accused the Britons of belonging to counterrevolutionary organisations, of engaging in espionage and sabotage, and of bribery. Tho trial was notable, among other things, for the strange conduct of one of the Englishmen, Mr. William MacDonald, who, after vehemently pleading "not guilty," was taken out for a 20 minutes' "rest," to return and plead "guilty" to all the charges. M. Andrew Vishinsky, the Soviet Prosecutor, said angrily to Mr. Thornton: "You will be no use in Russia or in England. Perhaps you will bo used as manure for our Socialist fields somewhere." Mr. Thornton was sentenced to three years' and Mr. MaeDonald two years' imprisonment. Three of the other pjnglishmen were deported, while the sixth was acquitted. After appeals, Thornton and MaeDonald were released and banished from Russia on July 1, 1933.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19380608.2.82
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23058, 8 June 1938, Page 13
Word Count
198MR. CHARLES THORNTON New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23058, 8 June 1938, Page 13
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.