TRIAL FRAMED

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 222, 18 April 1933, Page 2

TRIAL FRAMED

Monkhouse's Declaration OUTBURST IN COURT Protest at Interrogation Moscow, April 19.—Tlwre was a remarkable scene at (he opening of the court to-day when Monkhouse jumped up and said he wanted to make a declaration. The judge stop-ped-him while he was protesting against being eross-examined for 18 hours. Monkhouse shouted: "The trial is a frame-up." He declared after hearing the Russian Shukhoruchkin that the trial was based on the evidence of terrorised Russians. The whole proceedings were disorganised and all messages were stopped until the official stenographers supplied the I exact Avords. Pressmen, unable to restrain their excitement, hectically dashed to and fro. Monkhouse's outburst perceptibly brightened the embassy's personnel. The court; resumed after 20 minutes. Krashetnimikov, head engineer for the Moscow electric station, accused of belonging to the so-called Moscowsabotage group, gave evidence that he received only 500 roubles from' Vickers, but had been promised more. Zorin, an engineer in the Moscow poAver department, declared: "Thornton led me into sabotage, giving me 1000 roubles and asking me to conceal defects and supply secret information." M. Vishinsky. referring to Thornton's repeated denials and accusations, sneeringly remarked: "I suppose you deny thai, Thornton." Thornton shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head. Cushny, a burly South African who served in the Air Force in the Avar time, gave evidence that he Avorked in the Don Basin and then at Baku, Avhere he had 200 friends. He gave £5 notes to some of the needy and lent others money Avhich had been returned. He denied any connection with the breakdoAvn of turbines at Baku which was due to Russians' carelessness in allowing water to enter. , 1 Oleinik. who had been employed with Vickers in Russia and England for 20 years, declared he Avas associated with NordAvall in acts of sabotage in the Don Basin. When he spied in military matters he believed Thornton and Nordwall Avcre Avorking for another organisation. Thornton interjected: "He is lying!'' Thornton entered the AVitness box lin the evening and spoke Avith in- ! creasing self-confidence. He said he ioined Vickers after demobilisation. I He went to London annually to give information regarding his Avork. He used many methods to obtain business information. He never spied but admitted the breakdowns at Zoueyka, Baku, Cheliabinsk and Moscow. None was serious. . M. Vishinsky, interrupting, began to read the depositions. Thornton sharply interjected: 1 I retracted all that. They exhausted me on March 12 until I was exhausted. Thev also questioned me on the loui Kfollowing days. I signed u'nder pressure. It was suggested that if I conifessed it would be all right; if I did inot I should/be useless either to the Soviet or to England. I was so tired and browbeaten that I signed the deposition dictated in Russian. I was not tortured." M Vishinsky: "Which Englishmen at Moscow taught you to tell that lie?" Thornton: "No one. ( M. Vishinsky: "I know who. Thornton added: "In this court 1 deny sabotage. I have always done my Avork Avell." „ . Madame Kutosova, marcelled, manicured powdered and rouged, stood in the witness box and answered in 1 monosyllables the leading Questions | confirming her depositions admitting 'bribes that were entered not in the Vickers books but in Thornton's diary which was sent to England in DecembeShukhoruchkin, Krashetnimikov and Zorin, standing, in unison corioborated the evidence. Thornton then sprang to his feet saying: "I deny that!" Madame Kutosava added. I ljr« noticed Thornton's and MacDonald s i activities in 1930, but was powerless jas I had given my word to be si lent | t W as ignorant of the details of the ! sabotage- I only heard conversations. The court adjourned. M. Ulnch«■ UPCts to finish on Tuesday. M. . \ iaH£SJ denied the allegations by Thornton and Monkhouse that undue pressure was used When they were being questioned in the Lubianka prison.