Evening star., 1930-12-08
SOVIET COMMUTES
DEATH SENTENCE
OF FIVE PLOTTERS
Moscow Dispatch Says Men
Will Serve 10 Years-Three
Other Terms Reduced.
SERVICE AND LOYALTY
PLEDGED IN PLEAS
Verdict Calling for Firing Squad
Received Calmly by Promi-
nent Prisoners.
ny the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press.
LONDON, December "a Reuters
dispatch from Moscow said today that
the Soviet Central Executive Commit
tee had commuted the death sentences
passed upon five engineers condemned
for plotting to overthrow the Sovier
regime.
The death sentences were commuted
to 10 years imprisonment.
The dispatch said also that the COM
mittee had reduced to 8 years the To-
year prison sentences imposed upon the
three other defendants.
The condemned were:
Leonid Ramsin, 43, former professor
Of the Moscow Technical Institute and
director Of the Heat and Power Insti-
tute, leader of the movement.
1 Victor Larichev, 43, former head of
the fuel department of the State Plan
ming Commission, said to be next in
command to Ramsin.
Nikolai Charnovsky, 81, professor in
various technical institutes and preSi-
dent Of the Technical Council of the
Supreme Economic Council.
Aerial Academy Professor.
Ivan Kalinikov, Sc, former official of
the State Planning Commission and
professor in the Military Aerial Acad-
emy.
Alexander Fedotov, 81, oldest of the
conSplrators, professor in various inSti-
tutes and chairman of the Scientific
Research Textile Institute.
Those sentenced to Imprisonment are
Vladimir Ochkin, 80, youngest of the
group secretary to Ramsin in the Heat
and Power Institute and manager of the
Research Section Of the Supreme Eco
nomic Council; Sergei Kuprianov, SO,
director Of the Technical Section of
the Supreme Economic Council, and
Xenophon Sitnin, So, engineer Of the
All-Union Textile Syndicate.
The prisoners heard the verdict and
sentences impassively. Ramsin gripped
the desk in front Of him and listened
1ntently until he heard his name and
then seemed to take no further notice
OF the proceedings. Larichev stood with
downcast eyes. Charnovsky guIped two
glasses Of water after requesting an
attendant to bring them
The court room, former ball room of
SAAC OAA OIllOIl Alup OF house Oh COL
umnS, was filled with spectators. all of
whom had waited from pm. until after
IL o'clock for the judges to appear. AS
Judge Vishinsky read the verdict and
the sentences there was O. roar of ap-
plause. Outside 10000 others, unable
to get in. listened at microphones and
likewise applauded.
Sponsored Intervention,
-
had sponsored military intervention in
Russia, backed by Capitalists and mill
tary circles Of France and the Torgprom
(RuSslan emigre organization in
Paris) and the Industrial party of Rus
6a." In another place it was charged
that the anti-Soviet engineers were
among the most hostile and most vio-
lent leaders Of counter revolutionary
organizations"
Mention also was made Of the inter-
ventlon OF a foreign fleet, which may
nave referred to assertions made by the
defendants during the trial that Eng
land had aided the conspiracy.
The trial began November rs. All
elght defendants entered pleas Of guilty
before microphones which carried their
voices to the furthermost parts of Rus
Sla. Such names as Raymond Poincare
AriStide BRAND, Col Lawrence and
Lord Churchill" of England were mem
toned by the engineers as co-conspira-
tors.
Each pleaded for his life, offering to
spend the remainder of his days in
contrition and exhaustive labor on be-
half OF the proletariat Charges were
made IN the foreign press that the trial
was 1rame-up and the confessions
coerced, but the foreign observer found
notnlng TO indicate that the trial was
not bona f1de in all its aspects.