SCENES IN COURT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 221, 15 April 1933, Page 5

SCENES IN COURT

Moments of sensation CAREWORN MacDONALD . London, April l'i —"When the trial resumed today the court was hall' empty, as today is a full working day. Mr. MacDonald's careworn face again contrasted strongly with' the confident appearance of the other Britons. Tlio first witness, Sokolov, assistant director of tlie Zlatoust plant, said that ho started sabotage iii 1927. lie met MacDonald and Guesev in 1930, and became a member of the. coun-ter-revolutionary organisation. Mr. MacDonald interrupted: I did not tell Sokolov to commit sabot-

The Prosecutor: Why did you say so in the indictment? Mr. MacDonald replied: "1 considered it convenient, in the circumstances, and no translation of my ytatemet was made in my preseoe. I admitted 1 was guilty yesterday." The 'Prosecutor: And do you say so today? Mr. MacDonald: No. f actually am not guilty. Mr MacDonald's denial of guilt caused a profound sensation, in tiie midst of which the microphones Tailed and the public wa* unable to understand whad had happened, Standing straight, Mr, MacDonald,

in cool, calculated terms, denounced the statements contained in the indictment written in his own hand He deied paying Sokolov for information, btu said he paid Guesev and others 2500 roubles for overtime, partly from las own pocket. Cross-examined, Mr. MocDonald said he had admitted systematic wreckage and military espionage. He had obtained information about guns and aeroplanes. The Prosecutor asked: "Why.

The reply was: "f was merely personally interested." This caused a stir and laughter. Mr. MacDonald added that he understood ihat Thornton was head of the espionage group and Monkhouse and Cushny also spied. The Prosecutor interposed: "Wny do vo uwant to make yourself look foolish in the eyes ,)f the public?" Mr. MacDnald: I don't think I'm foolish.

A further conflict of evidence occurred when Mr. Thornton declared that he did not know Mr. MacDonald was occupied in sabotage or spying, or he would have lucked him out.. Mr. MacDonald interjected: Yes. he knew about the spying, and then limped out of the box in which he had been accommodated in a chair, owing to lameness and exhaustion. Mr. Thornton denied ashing the engineers to supply secret information. He couldn't remember whether he asked Guesev for it. Mr. MacDonald, intervening, admitted collecting information through Guesev and transmitting ii to Thornton, who thereupon repeated his declaration that he received only information interesting to the company. Mi'. Monkhouse corroborated, saying: "We collected political and economic information for flu: company. Madame Kutusova contradicted Mr. Monkhouse's evidence,, giving numerous sources whence information had allegedly been obtained. She declared that Monkhouse and Thornton had secret books and documents. "All our espionage was performed through Richards, myself, and Monkhouse," said Madame Kutusova. "Under

! Richards's instructions all the BritI ish personnel, totalling 28, were enI gaged in spying." Mr. Thornton, in evidence, said he j wanted to retract his deposition as I untrue. It was written under moral pressure after long interrogation. lie I added that the Vickers employees ! were collecting only harmless infor-

mal ion. M. Vyshinsky: "Have you any desire to commit sabotage?" Mr. Thornton: I always build up, never destroy. Mr. Monkhouse, in evidence, said: "1 am not guilty of any crimes except giving Dolgov 3000 roubles which he regarded as a bribe to advance, the firm's interest, Doglov being a member of the commission of experts." He added: "I never wrote the document which I signed concerning the transaction."

The sitting was adjourned, .the Britons returning to the British Embassy in a motor-car Hying the Union Jack. MacDonald's New Plea Not Accepted FORMER ADMISSION MUST STAND Received To-day, 10 a.m. Moscow, April 14. —The court sat on Good Friday, this day not being recognised as a ho'iday by Soviet Russia. It appears the judges decided that despite MacDonald's later withdrawal the original plea of guilty still holds (iood. M. Dolgov, the middle-aged controller of the electrical inspection departmenl gave evidence thai Thornton on July 12, 1i»32, gave him a bribe of 3000 roubles. "Thornton opened a drawer exposing the money," he said. "Blood rushed to my eyes and I then decided to tnke the money, but the snmn day I informed Ihe authorities and handed the money to the procurator." Thornton, v,'hen questioned, admitted (hat lie save Dolgov money, but insisted it was only a loan in response to Dolgov's entreaties, as he wanted to buy a flat. "I categorically deny that if was in anywise a bribe," lie said. Dolgov admitted that Thornton had nol asked him to perform any -.•ervice [or (ho money. "I understand." he said, "1 was expected to conceal defecls found in Viokers machinery. Nobody else employed by Vickers ever offered mo money.''