MOSCOW TRIALS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1933, Page 5

MOSCOW TRIALS

FURTHER EVIDENCE

AN OUTBURST BY THORNTON

Press Association—By Electric

Telegraph— Copyright,.)

. ■ MOSCOW, April 15. A. description of the way in which

a deposition was , obtained from him

while in prison was given by Mr W. H. Thornton, one of the British accused in the Moscow trial, in the course of . to-day’s proceedings.' ' He was being cross-examined by Vishinsky,

who reminded him of what he had said in hig deposition.

“I retracted all that,” he said. “They questioned me on March 12 until I was exhausted. I was also questioned on the four following days. I signed under pressure. It was suggested that if I confessed it would he all right. If I didn’t I should be useless both to the Soviet and to England. I was so tired and browbeaten and I signed a deposition- dictated in Russian. I wasn’t tortured.”

At an earlier stage Krsashetnimikov, head engineer for the Moscow electric station, who is accused of belonging to the so-called “Moscow sabotage group,” gave evidence that he received only five hundred roubles from Metropolitan Vickers laniployeev but had been promised more. < : - MOSOW POWER TROUBLES,

Zorin, an engineer- jn f the Moscow power departmeißp' declared, ”Thornton led me inito sabotage,; giving me a thousand roubles, and asking me to conceal defects and to supply secret information,”

Vishiiiisky, referring to Thornton’s repeated denials and accusations, sneeringly remarked: “I suppose you deny that, Thornton ?”

Thornton shrugged his shoulders, and nodded his head.

Cushny, a, burly South African, who served in tli© Air Force in war time, gave evidence that he had work in the Don Basin and then ''in Baku, where he had two hundred friends. He gave some “fivers” to some, and lent others money, which had been vletjurned. Be denied any connexion with the breakdown of the turbines at Baku, which, he said, was due to the carelessness of the Russiohs in allowing water to enter.

Oleinik, who ha s been employed with Metropolitan Vickers, Ltd., in Russia and in England for twenty years, declared he was associated with Nordwall in acts of sabotage in the Don Basin. He had spied in military matters. He believed Thornton land Nordwall were working for another organisation. Thornton interjected, “He is lying.” A STORMY INTERLUDE; At the evening session of the Court Thornton entered the witness box, and spoke with increasing self-confidence. He said he joined the Metropolitan Vickers Company after demobilisation. He went to London annually to give information regarding his work. He u°ed many methods to obtain business information, though he never spied. He admitted there had been breakdowns at Zouevka, Baku, Oheliabinsk, and Mosecow, but none of these was serious.

Vishinsky, interrupting, began to rend from the depositions. Thornton then made his statement concerning the way in which Ida deposition had been obtained. Vishinsky: Which Englishmen in Moscow taught you to tell that lie. Thornton; No one. Vishinsky: I know who. Thornton added: “In this court I deny sabotage. I have always done my work well.”

Madame Kutusova, marcelled and manicured, powdered and rouged, stood in the witness-box and answered in .m'onosyUatdes the: leading questions •put to her, confirming her depositions and admitting bribes, which were not entered in the company’s Wl», but in Thornton’s diary, which was sent to England in December,---.. Shukhoruehkin, Krsashetnimikov, iand Zorin, standing in unison, corroborated this evidence.

Thornton then sprang to his feet, saying, “I deny that.” Kutusova added: “I first noticed Thornton’s and MacDonald's activities in 193 CK but I was powerless,' as I had given my word to keep .'silence. I am ignorant of details of the sabotage. I only heard conversations.”

The court then adjourned . Ulrueh expects the sitting to end on April 18.

Dyshiusky denied the allegations of Thornton and Monkhouse tlmi undue pressure was used when they were questioned in Lubianks prison.

“A SHAM TRIBUNAL.’

COMMENT IK NEW SPA PEES.”

LONDON, April 15

The “Morning Post" .says; “It is not necessary to wait until the end of the Moscow trial before denouncing the Court as ta sham tribunal and a savage farce. The spasms of varying testimony wrung from MacDonald prove that the O.G.P.U. is applying strange and vicious pressure. The honour and perhaps the lives of six Englishmen are being devilishly sworn away. Wo hope the British Government will intervene, bec. n "se the moment has come to shake this tyranny.” The “Dail ' TeVgraoh” says: “At the most tl:’s so-called trial is a stench in the. nostrils tf the civilised world. It shatters the illusion of those who would f ’in believe there is the seed of social good in the Bolshevik Revolution,”