PROSECUTION CONCLUDES

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1933, Page 7

PROSECUTION CONCLUDES

RIDICULE FOR THORNTON

MME. KUTOSOVA ATTACKED

“MACDONALD CLEVER SPY”

“ALL GUILTY BUT GREGORY”

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Moscow, April 17.

The faces of Thornton and MacDonald were noticeably strained and Monkhouse looked paler and careworn when the trial of the British engineers charged with sabotage and espionage was resumed. M. Vishinsky, the prosecutor, completed his address to the Court. The closing of the speech was devoted to an attack on Thornton. Turning to the dock M. Vishinsky said: “You are a coward by nature; within 24 hours you confessed, betraying and endangering the heads of 27 fellow countrymen; that is not a lie, it was worse than cowardice —treachery. You are useless both to Russia and to England and perhaps will be useful as a fertiliser for our Socialist fields somewhere.”

The prosecutor’s most biting phrases to-day were reserved for Thornton and Madame Kutosova. Of Madame Kutosova he faid that, driving a luxurious motor-car between Moscow and Perlovka, she had sold herself for money. She was ambitious to make a foreign career, but her full confession must be considered in passing sentence. Madame Kutosova’s face twitched as M. Vishinsky made insinuations about her morals and she was near to tears* M. Vishinsky, pounding the table with his fist, continued his address with renewed vigour. Describing the breakdowns of various power stations, he declared that sabotage could be the only reason for the occurrences. Sometimes doctors in operating left instruments in the body. Something of'that sort had happened at the Zouisvsky station. He said the wreckers evidently had a fiveyear plan of sabotaging, which started in 1928.

M. Vishinsky produced a minor sensation. when he remarked, apparently referring to Gregory: “I am uncertain about the guilt of one accused. I will discuss him later.” CAUGHT RED-HANDED. ' He described MacDonald as an experienced and clever secret service' agent caught red-handed at sabotaging, but comparatively honest and brave in confessing. “Gusev had confessed to being a saboteur and secret agent. I will ask the severest punishment for him.” There was a commotion in the Court when M. Vishinsky referred to Cushny as working like a crack secret agent. Cushny jumped up and shouted,'“l did not do any spying.” The judge called him to order. After the adjournment M. Vishinsky directed the main attack on 1 Thornton and once turned wrathfully towards him when he exclaimed that perhaps he would be used as manure for Soviet fields' somewhere. Facing Cushny, he said: “You deny everything, but we will unmask you, like Monkhouse, Thornton and Nordwall.” “All the prisoners are guilty except. Gregory and they deserve death, but our Courts are not vengeful,” M. Vishinsky declared. “Nevertheless, if the Court considers it necessary to order that extreme measure your hands must not shake.” M. Vishinsky loudly denounced Monkhouse, who he said had admitted giving bribes through Thornton, euphemistically called presents. Monkhouse had gathered State secrets. Monkhouse: “What constitutes secrets?” M. Vishinsky: “We will judge and convict you according to our laws.” He described Madame Kutosova as a conscienceless, pleasure-seeking woman, but pleaded for mitigation as she had ultimately turned a. State- witness. “WORTHLESS CREATURE.” Readdressing Thornton, he said: “You are a worthless creature. The evidence shows that you are guilty, of espionage, wreckage and bribery.” M. Vishinsky added that he saw no reason to uphold the charges against Gregory, who had not harmed the Soviet, but the punishment of MacDonald, Monkhouse, Nordwall and Cushny must be as severe as possible. The Court in deciding the verdict must remember that the Soviet did not seek blood vengeance, but the defence of the Socialist revolution. Referring to Thornton’s notebooks regarding monetary transactions, M. Vishinsky said: “After we have finished dealing with Thornton here he will also have to give an account of his crimes over there when he goes back.” M. Vishinsky admitted that MacDonald’s confessions were “not absolutely straightforward,” explaining that this was because he was an experienced spy and had burned his correspondence, which might have been useful to the. O.G.P.U.

After a short adjournment M. Vishinsky resumed an attack on Nordwall, stating: “If we are asked whether our grounds are sufficient to charge Nordwall we can answer with the firmest conviction that they are more than sufficient. He was obviously in touch with the wreckers and concealed defects in the Metropolitan Vickers equipment and gave bribes and supplied information to Thornton.”

After a long discussion regarding the sum with which the prosecution claimed Nordwall had bribed Lobanov, who said he also received a fur coat, M. Vishinsky said: “Nordwall cannot get away from this coat and will have to wear it himself; it is a warm coat and he will need it.”

He concluded his attack on Nordwall by referring to him as one of those mentioned in the statement to which the prosecution secured Thornton’s signature, which gave a list of 27 past and present employees of Vickers in Russia and described them as members of an organisation for espionage. M. Vishinsky ended by declaring that all the accused except Gregory were guilty under Article 58, carrying penalties up to shooting, but their failure must be mitigatorily considered.