ALLEGED SPIES

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 2, 10 September 1927, Page 5

ALLEGED SPIES

RUSSIAN TRIALS. PRISONERS TORTURED. Press Association— Copyright, Australian and N.Z, Cable Assn. LONDON, September 9. The Daily Mail Riga correspondent, states that despite careful stage management, the trial of the 26 alleged British spies in Russia is attracting little ateution, according to Leningrad newspapers, which report that the population is more concerned by recently instituted ration cards for bread, flour, sugar, petroleum, tea and other necessities. Most of the evidence is based on the defendants’ alleged confessions, many of whom were imprisoned and tortured for months before they consented to sign statements admitting writing political reports for a British naval officer Boyce, to whom tney were transmitted through the Finnish Consulate. The tortures by the secret_ police have driven many prisoners insane. Others, helieveing in the inquisitors’ promise of lenience, often sign documents which later prove their death warrants, A Dutchman, Huyor, the Bolshevik star witness, a. former Tsarist officer, alleges that Boyce forwarded funds to hlotf up several destroyers in the Soviet Baltic fleet. The testimony of other witnesses was equally ridiculous. Persons attending the trial, remark on tlie white faces and cowed demeanour of the prisoners.