The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-30
SOVIETS DOOM
 GEN. SAVIKOFF
Neither Prosecution Nor Defense At Thrilling
 Trial Of Officer
(By Associated Press)

MOSCOW. August 20.-The trial and conviction yesterday of General Boris Savinkoff constituted probably the most dramatic case that has come before the revolutionary war tribunal. Savinkoff. former military governor of Fetrograd and assistant minister of war in the Kereneky cabinet, was sen fenced to death on a multitude of charges growing out of his seven years struggle against the soviet regime. A stay of execution was ordered, how, ever, to allow an appeal for pardon to the executive committee, IS Savin. koff acknowledged his guilt and ex- pressed q desire to support the soviet: ' The case was regarded by the gov ,ernment as important to its safety and prestige. The courtroom was packed with members of the government, the central committee of the communist rnrty. the war council and the most ac-. tive members of the soviet political administration. ...
 High Officials Present
 Acting Premier Kamenoff, Premier Kliava of the Trans Caucasian repub- lie; Commissar of Justice Kursky and M. Kouybycheff of the state control board were among those who forsook their regular work in order to hear the proceedings, NJ Ulrich, chairman of the war council, was present and as- sisted in the trial; and two Of the jurymen .were members of the war ofs flee. ts4s
 There was neither prosecution nor defense, but every detail was dramatic Al4rsII l. olutionary, organized the assassination of Prime Minister Plehve and Grand Duke Sergius, which gave the first signal for the Russian revolution. He was responsible for the advance of the Russian army in July, 1917. After the bolshevik revolution he assumed the leadership of the anti-bolshevik forces and organized the Yaroslavi rising which ended in demolition of the town with considerable bloodshed, as well as nu- merous risings in Siberia and Ukrainia.
 He raised an army to defend the con- stituent assembly in Samara and di- rected activities against the bolsheYiks from Poland. All of this Savinkoff acknowledged. Speaking with emotion, he said to the court:
 Not Afraid To Die
 q know your decision beforehand. l don't value my life and l am not afraid to die. I recognize all my quilts, but they were all involuntary, as l never sought anything for myself 7"
 The general was arrested August 20 after passing the border under the name of Stepanoff. He apparently had been watched by Russian agents abroad. His arrest was kept secret and his trial was begun secretly.
 It is understood that many respon- Sible communists have been impressed with Savinkoff's sincerity during the trial. It Is generally believed that the death sentence will not be carried out.
 A trial on charges of counter revo- lutionary activities among the Cossack population of the Kuban province has ended before the criminal court of the Kubnn district, sitting at Armavir with the sentencing to death of 25 officers of the czarist army, the sentencing to various terms of imprisonment of 40 other accused persons and the acquittal of five persons. Those sentenced to death included Colonel Orloff, Colonel Nazaroff, Colonel Kaslinin and a num- Der of Cossack officers.