The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-14
ENGINEERS IN
U.S.S.R. TRIAL
ADMIT SPYING
Gussev, Russian, Says
Metro-Vick Managers
Paid for Sabotage
HURT MUNITION PLANT
Thornton, Englishman,
Squirms But Admits
Main Charges
by Our Moscow Correspondent

ny our moscow correspondent
MOSCOW, us. S. R., April
l3.-Vasily Gussev, manager
Of the Zlatoust Power Station,
was the first defendant ex-
amined in the evening session
Of the trial Of Metropolltan-Vick
Co. engineers for damaging Soviet
Industry and espionage for war pur-
poses. The trial startd yesterday,
Gussev was examined in the evening
session of the Supreme Court, held
in the House of Trade Unions.
Examination brought out import
ant evidence that Gussev gathered
secret information concerning the
military production plants served BY
the zlatoust Power Station, and that
he organized and carried out a series
OF mishapS at the plant designed TO
reduce its capacity, or even put It
entirely out of order. Another asrli-
ficant feature of Gussev's testimony
was that it revealed the leading role
of the Metro icAcrs' employees Mac
Donald and Thornton in the wreck
ing and spying that went on at the
Zlatoust Plant.
Espionage
GusseY testified that Macdonald.
Metro VickerS engineer at the Flat
Gust, asked him about factory pro-
ducing military supplies, especially
about the kind and quantity of shells
made there. After q period of es-
plonage, Gussey admitted, he began
carrying out various damaging and
wrecEing schemes, again at the or
ders of Macdonald. Replying to a
question from Prosecutor Vishinski.
Macdonald confirmed that part Of
Gaa5av'5 testsirony which related to
the gathering Of information, and
also admitted giving GusSev about
5000 rubles.
Thornton, the chief engineer of
Metropolitan Vickers, Gussev testi-
fled, visited zlatoust July 1880 and in
the winter Of 1881. Both times he
met Thornton. On the first visit
he was introduced by Macdonald and
recommended as "the kind OF fellow
we can trust" GusseV was then
collecting information regarding fac
tories and plants at zlatoust, parti-
cularly those manufacturing war ma
terials and dependent on the power
station. At the second meeting Gus
sew declared, they discussed a plan
prepared by himself and Thornton
Tor disabling the power station AND
the factories II served.
To Cripple U.S.S.K. nefs1ss
did you discuss sabotage In ea.ss
or WARP the Prosecutor asked.
Yes" Gtlssev replied, adding that
the scheme YVES to reduce the cape~
city Of the plant by half, thus hsIy~
ing production in the dependent fac
tories. The question was brought ur
at that meeting, Grssev stated. OF
whether In the event OF a nnishsp 10
zlatoust power station, electric power
could not be relayed from Chelis-
hinsk. Thornton is said to havs re-
piled that there would be no need
for alarm, because we have our in
fluence there too
White Guard Volunteer
GuSSeY admitted having Joined the
Kolchak Army as a volunteer in 1918,
In answer to a. question from prose-
cutor Vishinsky, he said that he
had Joined the White Army because
Of his opposition to the October Re-
Volution. He further admitted that
his anti-Soviet views had remained
essentially the same since 1918. al
though he had received his education
in Soviet engineering school, and
had risen to become manager Of the
Zlatcust Power Plant. Thus he will
ingly accepted proposals from Mac
Donald and Thornton to engage in
espionage and, sabotage against tho
Soviet State.
cr-Rep0lutionary Grour
Examination of GusseY brought out
further evidence which showed the
existence OF counter revolutionary
group whose members used fictitious
names, fictitious return addresses on
their mail, etc. Macdonald and
Thornton gave instructions to Csussev
and other members Of this rro,Jf1.
GuGsev testified and mapped ont
with them various plans of sabotage.
In communicating secret informa-
tton, shells were referred TO as can-
ned goods, C1ussev said. This state.
rnent brought loud laughter in court.
Thornton, replying to g question
by the Prosecutor. admitted meeting
Grssev, but denied any knowledge of
a relation, such as had been des-
cribed, between Macdonald and Gus.
sew. However, at the preliminary in.
vestigation, he had admitted giving
Macdonald money. and seeking in.
formation concerning the Zlatoust
plant. In the open court, he denied
his earlier testimony on this point.
Asked why he had said It previous
ly, Thornton replied that ne had been
excited.
The Prosecutor asked, ~Doni Won
speak the truth when you are ar
cltd?" - to which Thornton repsscd,
mo-
No Third Degree
The Prosecutor asked Thornton
whether he complained of treatment
during the p eliminary investina-
ticn Were vol tCrCuredq Were WI,
oonlpalled 10 answer? Were special
methods used upon youq Did Won
undergo third degree?n- These wers
the questions asked by tbs Prosecu.
tor, who then looked IN the s3irse \
ttoH Of the foreign newspsnexnaNu-
T5Hnnesteys wzrksrs <S<l, disrcs sasssx.&