MEDICAL MURDER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 58, 10 March 1938, Page 7

MEDICAL MURDER

MAXIM GORKY’S DEATH CONFESSION BY LEVIN THE MOSCOW TRIAL • [By Telegraph—Press Association — Received March 9, 8.50 p.m. MOSCOW, March 8. The sixth day of the treason trial opened with a sensational confession by the accused Levin, director of the Kremlin Hospital, when confronted with the charge of “medical murder” of the Soviet writer Maxim Gorky. He said that Gorky’s murder was carried out .directly under Yagoda s intimidation and bribery. Levin added: "Yagoda then demanded that I murder Gorky and a son of Pieshkov, and threatened me with death. 1 thought Yagoda was all-powerful and so I decided to obey.” Yagoda denied issuing orders for the murder of Pieshkov and Mendjinsky, but admitted directing the murders of Gorky and Kiubysheff. Re-examined, Levin admitted that he permitted Kiubysheff to catch a throat complaint which encouraged frequent heart attacks, after which he urged Kiubysheff to strenuous exertion, bringing on death. Bulanoff said he was visited by a man to whom Yagoda asked him to give £4OOO. Yagoda said this money was for Trotsky. The man came five times during 1934 and 1935 and each time received £4OOO on Yagoda's instructions. * Kryuchkoff, who was Gorky's secretary, in evidence admitted the “treasonable killing of Gorky and his son.” Yagoda said that as vice-chief of the Ogpu he supplied secret materials which Rykoff and Bukharin used in the struggle against the Communist Party. Yagoda described the fears of the plotters after his removal from the Ogpu and the appointment of Yezhov as chief and therefore it was decided to poison Yezhov. Yagoda, who earlier retracted his confession that he ordered the deaths of Henjinsky and Pieshkov, admitted his guilty at the evening session, but asked that his evidence be taken at a secret session. Judge Ulrich granted this request.

Yagoda’s admission was made after the evidence of Paul Bulanoff. hi,-, former secretary, who alleged that Yagoda attempted to rid himsclt of political enemies by poisoning.