SECRET EVIDENCE

Southland Times, Issue 20979, 11 January 1930, Page 5

SECRET EVIDENCE

TRIAL IN GERMANY I CONSPIRACY AGAINST -SOVIET/ " SENSATIONAL INCIDENT. (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph-Copyright.) (Rec. 8.5 p.m.) .Berlin, January 9. There was a sensational incident at the resumed trial of Professor Karunidze, the uncrowned King of Georgia, when the Judge, at the instigation of the defending barrister, cleared the court of witnesses, the public and the Press, while an important piece of secret official evidence was being disclosed. Only two special representatives of the German Foreign Office were allowed to remain in the closely guarded court. Counsel said that the interests of the State demanded secrecy, and added that documents would prove beyond doubt that Karunidzc’s activities were strictly political and recognized by the Government. When the document had been read the witnesses returned and the trial proceeded. Further allegations of English complicity in the plot were heard when one of the accused, Herr Willi Schmidt, who is a prosperous Nuremburg manufacturer, in evidence declared that it was his own opinion that the purpose of the forgery was not necessarily to overthrow the Soviet regime, but with England's help to obtain possession of South Russia and Georgia for the sake of oil wells.

“English oil concerns are referred to definitely for the first time,” said the Judge. “What does this mean?”

There was silence until Dr. Beor, the defending counsel, replied: “Karunidze has already mentioned the name of an oil magnate, Sir Henri Deterding.” The Judge: You wished to secure the independence of Southern Russia? Schmidt: Yes.

The Judge: I am seeing clearly now. First the Southern States were to be severed from Russia, for which a revolt was necessary. That was to be financed partially with false Russian notes. Then economic agreements were to come into force, and the oil magnate was to do the rest.” “Of course,” said Schmidt, “but the economic complex was discussed along with the political.” Schmidt admitted providing £250 towards the cost of General Max Hoffman’s visit to London, and declared that his own motive was to secure a profitable market for Germany in an area purged of Bolshevism. The trial was adjourned. A thirty days’ trial is proceeding of Professor Shavla Karunidze, also of six Germans, on a charge of conspiring to forge masses of Russian notes in the hopes of causing an economic crash in Russia and overthrowing the Soviet in a rush attack led by the Tannenberg hero, General Hoffman. It was suggested that the real prize was the control of the Georgian oil wells. In this connection it was implied that great oil magnates, including one Briton, were behind the plot. INTEREST IN LONDON MENTION OF DETERDING’S NAME. J HOFFMANN’S VISIT TO ENGLAND. (Rec. 11 20 p.m.) London, January 10. Personal aspects of the Karunidze trial are exciting the keenest interest in London. Sir Henri Deterding, director-general of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and a director of the Shell Transport and Trading Company Ltd., lives in Park Lane. He is one of the world’s foremost oil kings. More will certainly be heard concerning the use of his name. Professor Karunidze is called the uncrowned King of Georgia. He is the alleged ringleader of a plot to secure oil territory for German and British financial groups, but defending counsel declares that he is purely a Georgian patriot. The document which is supposed to prove this was read in camera because, according to counsel, “it might endanger the safety of the German State if it were made public.”

General Max Hoffmann is described as Hindenburg’s Chief of Staff. He is the reputed winner of the Battle of Tannenburg and maker of the Brestlitovsk Treaty of peace between Germany and Russia. The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that General Hoffmann in the spring of 1926 approached the British Embassy and others at Berlin with a view to coming to London to discuss with the British Government the position of the Soviet Government, which he declared to be on the verge of complete financial collapse. Berlin referred him to London, where the Foreign Office expressed its inability to receive him. This did not deter General Hoffmann from conferring with some leading unofficial personalities in British industry and politics.