The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-06-02
BAKU TRIBUNAL
BARES CRIME OF
MENSHEVIk HEAD
Funtikov Aids British
Murder Soviet Members

MOOCOW, u. .. >. II. (IaSSJ, April
Is (By Mail).-The trial of Theodor
Funtikov, head of the White Trans
Caspian government in 1918, COM
menced in Baku before the Military
Collegium of the Supreme Court of
the Soviet Union.
Funtikov is charged with organizing
revolt against the Soviet Govern
ment, with entering into communica-
ton with the British command in Per-
STA, with completely in the interven-
tion of British troops into the Trans
Caucasus and Trans Caspian and with
completely in the shooting Of nine Ask
habad and 26 Baku Commissars.
Menshevlks Invite British Troop.
In June, 1918, the mensheviks and
ocialist-revolutionari obtained a
majority of the Baku Soviet and de-
cided to invite the British troops to
enter Baku, against which the Turkish
forces were then conducting an Of
fensive. The Council of Peoples Com
I missars had decided to withdraw to
Astrakhan, but the Commissars we're
arrested by the order of Funtikov and
lodged in Jail at Krasnovodsk.
Murder &c comnnissars.
On the night of September 20 26
commissars were taken from the Jail
and placed in train going to Askha-
bad. At the 207 kilometer mark, in
the desert, the train was stopped, the
Commissars taken out and shot.
Keep Murder Secret.
The nine Askhaband Commissars
were shot in a similar way in the
desert near Gyaur, in the presence of
Funtikov. An important part in these
operations was taken by Captain Tige
Jones, chief of the sttaff of the British
troops in the Caspian, who was pres
ent at the shootings.
1t had been previously agreed be-
tween Funtikov and Captain Tige
Jones that the shootings should be
kept secret and this was to be
achieved by letting it be known that
the doomed men were taken to India
and the British command giving an
official receipt for the Commissars.
These. facts are admitted by Funti-
kov in the following voluntary state
ment he has made to the court:
FuntikoV's Confession.
IT, as chairman of the provisional
executive committee of the Trans
Caspian region, certify thel following:
81. Approximately on September 20
learned that measures had been
taken by Drujkin, chairman of the
intelligence bureau, in s6pnjunction
with the representative Of the Brit
ish Mission, Tige Jones, fo1 the trans
fer of rs Commissars from Krasno-
vodsky to India via Meshed Drujkin
asserted that the British Mission had
declared that it was necessary to have
the Baku Commissars in India.
"He stated to me that be had re-
ceived document from Tige Jones to
the effect that the 26 Commissars had
been handed over to the British
authorities in Meshed.
Knew of .commissars'rFat ate.
"2. Actually, however, the Commits
sars were not taken to Meshed, but
on the road between Krasnovodsk and
Askhabad stations were shot by Druj-
kin and Tige Jones. was aware of
the fate that awaited the men, but l
did not think it possible to pre-
vent it.
90. l cannot name the persons who
came to Krasnovodsk to carry out the
action described above without their
knowledge and consent
a. The representative Of the Brit
ish Mission, Tige Jones, just before
the shooting, spoke to me and to
Drujkin about the necessity to shoot
these men and, after the shooting, ex-
pressed satisfaction that it'had taken
place in accordance with the views of
the British Mission.
80. know that after the Commits
sars were shot and buried all their
belongings were burned.
"Theodor FuntikoV."
Funtikov pleaded guilty to the
charges