SPY TRIAL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 25 October 1927, Page 11

SPY TRIAL.

OPENS BEFORE SOVIET MILITARY COURT.

FOUR ACCUSED PLEAD GUILTY.

(BT CABLS— PEBSS ASSOCIATIOX— COPTEIGHT.) (austbaliak and m.z. cablb ASSOCIATION.)

MOSCOW, October 23. The trial has begun of the five men accused of espionage on behalf of Great Britain, before the Supreme Military Court. Commissar Ulrica is presiding. Vladimir Prove declared that he had received money from Jlr Edward Charnock, and 'added that when lie later desired to withdraw Mr Charnock threatened him, saying: "Those who leave us become our enemies, but we have long hands with which to punish them."

-Both Vladimir and Cyril Prove pleaded guilty of participation in an espionage organisation for supplying information to Great Britain. M. Korepakoff pleaded guilty to giving secret information, but said bo was caught in a trap. Podreskoff confessed to divulging information regarding aviation. Nan off pleaded not guilty.

[The names of tho accused, who aro all stated to have confessed, are: Cyril and Vladimir Prove, sons of a former Moscow millionaire; M. liorepakoff, counsellor to the Soviet War Department; M. Podreskoff, and M. Nanoff. A statement • recently published in the Moscow papers which had fallen into the hands of the secret police proved conclusively that espionage was being carried on. It was declared that stolen secret plans and other documents had been transmitted to Mr Edward Charnock, secretary to the British Mission, and tho chief agents in giving information were the Proves and M. Korepakoff. Mr Charnock, who is in London, declared that the accusations were wholly unfounded.]