DRAMATIC SCENES

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 98, 20 April 1933, Page 3

DRAMATIC SCENES

At Close Sabotage Trial “THORNTON THE CHIEF INSTIGATOR’’ REASONING OF MONKHOUSE By Telegraph —Copyright —Press Assn. MOSCOW, April 19. There was remarkable excitement during the hours of awaiting the judges’ decision. Outside the courtroom hundreds of spectators paced up and down, ate sandwiches and played dice or cards. The English accused spent the time with their English solicitor in a room behind the court. The staff of the British Embassy, with serious faces, paced the corridors. Anxiety was apparent in everyone connected with the case. The crowd included many beautiful women of every class. Russian messengers were continually darting to the telegraph office, carrying despatches to every part of the globe. When the judges reassembled Ulrich contended that Thornton was the chief instigator and that Monkhouse was concerned with him. A deathlike silence marked the closing passages. The prisoners stood in the dock with bated breath.

Monkliouse was the only English defendant to make full use of the right of last word. He said: “The only serious evidence that I was engaged in espionage is the document Thornton signed. I have known Thornton 22 years, and I am certain he did not sign voluntarily.” Referring to the charges of sabotage, Monkhouse said: “The Soviet owes Vickers £1,500,000. The firm hoped to get more orders, so the destruction of machinery would be cutting our own throat.” A RAY OF HOPE MOSCOW, April 19. As similar sentences previously have been occasionally commuted, there is a ray of hope that Thornton’s and MacDonald’s appeal will be successful. The deportees consider it inadvisable at present to comment on the trial, but are deeply affected by their comrades’ sentences. Madame Litvinoff to-night is giving a dance to which diplomatic and press representatives have been invited, which is construed as an indication of the authorities’ anxiety to resume friendly relations with foreigners after the strained situation of the trial, when many Russianes refused to shake hands with foreign friends for fear of becoming involved with “British spies.”

AN APPEAL LODGED MOSCOW, April 19. Ulrich announced that the deported accused would not be allowed to return to Russia for five years. Monkhouse, Nordwall, Cushny and probably Gregory will leave Russia tonight. Metropolitan Vickers'are still represented by nine men, who, pending instructions, will continue business as usual. It is now announced that an appeal is being lodged against the sentences imposed on Thornton and MacDonald. It is believed that the sentences may be commuted.

Five of Six Found Guilty TWO ARE SENTENCED THREE TO BE DEPORTED MOSCOW, April 18. Finding all the accused except two guilty, the judges who heard the charges of sabotage and espionage laid against five British engineers in the employ of Metropolitan Vickers, Limited, and eleven Russians imposed the following sentences: — Charles Thornton, British engineer —Three years’ imprisonment. William MacDonald, British engineer.—Two years’ imprisonment. ; Alan Monkhouse, John Cushny and Charles Nordwall,. British engineers, were ordered to be deported. A. W. Gregory, British engineer/ was found not guilty.> i ■/ :■' The following sentences were , imposed on the Russian accused:— Mme, Kutusova, eighteen months’ imprisonment; and Guesey and Lobanov ten years’ imprisonment; Sukharoutchkin, ten years’ imprisonment; Soko-

lov, Zorin, and Kotlyarevsky, eight years; Karaschenninikov, five years; Oleinik, three years; and Lebedev, two years. Seibert was acquitted.

“ WORKED FOR THE UNION ” MRS. MONKHOUSE RELIEVED LONDON, April 19. Monkhouse’s wife is naturally delighted that her husband was not imprisoned. “At the same time it is a bitter end to the eight years’ indefatigable work he has done for the Soviet. He had many friends in Russia and worked ceaselessly for the Union. The idea that he could be guilty of such charges is monstrous.”

SOVIET MEETS COMMITMENT DEBT TO VICKERS IS PAID LONDON, April 19. The Soviet paid Vickers £20,000 due on April 15, acording to a message from Moscow. An official statement by the Vickers company reaffirms complete confidence in the victims of this travesty of justice. The directors have no faith in the validity of the alleged confessions. COURAGEOUS WOMAN KUTUSOVA’S CHALLENGE LONDON, Last Night. Mr Cholerton, the “Daily Telegraph” correspondent, says Russian women are better in a crisis than the men. Little Madame Kutusova was splendid. She spoke longer than any of the others. In a ringing voice, full of challenging anger, she scornfully rejected the suggestion against her moral character. She declared she had worked twenty years for the State, and had done more for the Five-Year Plan than citizens who were continually boasting what they had done.