The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-10-25
Torgler's Maxi "Defender" Is Absent from Cor4r
Attempt to Show
Tor gler Could Have
Carried Fuel Fails
Expert TIES tim ony
Points to Chemist Aid
of Goering

AT THE GERMAN FRONTIER,
Oct. "a Via Gurich) .--Alfons Sack,
NaSi counsel appointed to repre-
ssns' Ernst Torglcr Communist de-
fTdsnt, was absent from today's
hearing of tire Reichstas fire trial,
precisely on the day when evidence
was brought forward in an attempt
to ilnplicste Torgler.
Herman Gos~ing, Prussian nlinis-
ter and Ne5i leader, who was also
scheduled TO be, z witness today, was
also absent, on a trip to Sweden.
Even Judge Busnger, who from his
bench acts az, chief prosecutor of the
Communist defendants, was forced to
declare himself unsatisfied with the
testimony Of Mis-. ,Proetzscr, a neigh
Dor c. Torgler's. This woman testified
that on the day of the fire she saw
Torgler leave his home carrying two
heavy Suitcase9. She said when she
cav him he glanced fearfully around.
When Tocglsr's briefoases wsre
Sion he, she said she thought the
bags he carried we're lergeE,- but had
10 admit si'e had only had . glimpse
o. hiIn. and cculd not tell the color
OF TIE bags he carried, Torgler took
the sand and said he, had carried
two full briefcases that day, one con-
tain'ng newspapers, the. other docu-
rlentc.
That fearful glance is a product
of fer1if.ne ina 9ination." he added.
At the endfrof yesterdays session,
r. M yaI TN1-
colrbust;bles, and Wagner, chief of
the fire brigade, all swore that guam
titles OF highly iIlflamn1aiole material
must hava been used by experts.
Tells of Secret Fuel
Wagner said that ID minutes at tile
most had elapsed between the firing
Of tine session hall and the discovery
of the fire, and that such fire could
only mean the use of highly inflam-
mable material. Schatz testified that
there existed a secret fuel which
could have been used, requiring not
more than ten quarts to create the
blaze. The public was excluded willis
he described this fuel.
He said he had formed his own
theory of the origin Of the fire, but
would not give it. Pressed by Torgler,
ne said in his opinion van der Lubbe
knew that the fire was already pre-
pared inside when he entered the
building, and that he went through
his game of setting matches to cur
tains and to his clothes in order to
draw suspicion to himself, according
to a pre-arranged plan.
us it your opinion this fire could
not be set by anyone but an expert?"
Dinitroff asked.
Yes" said Schatz, sit must have
been set by an expert with experience
in laboratory work"
Goering Aid Expert Chemist
Spectators at the trial recall that
an adjutant of Goerings named We
Der, who appeared instantly when the
fire alarm was given, and examined
the passage from Goering's house to
the Reichstag on orders of Jacob.
Goerings chief lieutenant, is an ex-
pert chemist.
Judge Buenger turned to van der
Lubbe and addressed him like a small
child. do you hear the clever pro-
fessors say you did not work alone?
Tell us who helped you"
The boy Gid not answer.
Dimitroff then asked him If he
went through the Reichstag setting
fires as he had described. Van der
Lubbe answered, Yes"
Did you fire the session hall?"
asked Dimitroff.
II can't say exactly" answered van
der Lubbe. ~