The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-04-17
.SWITzES GIVEN
 FREEDOM AFTER GUILTY RULING
Young American Couple to Be Dep0rted-Turned
 States Evidence

Paris, April 17-(UP)-Marjorie Tilley SwitZ, Vassar graduate and intellectual spy, was freed today by the French government, which in return for the release of herself and her aviator husband, Robert Gordon Switz. received evidence against 21 of Europe's most notor- ious spies in an international ring.
 The American couple, faced with potential vengeance by the gang they betrayed, probably will be de- ported secretly.
 They had made, during the 16 months of Imprisonment in which they had been kept apart and questioned separately. "a full con- fession" of the conspiracy. and had admitted that Switz. whose first contact with the rings agent was made at a Long Island airport, had risen to become co-head of the es- pionage headquarters in Paris.
 They admitted obtaining valu- able documents and pictures of French military defenses.
 M0scOw- Berlin Suspected
 The name of the country-or countries-for which they worked was not revealed, but both Moscow and Berlin were reported involved.
 Contradictlng earlier reports that Mrs $witz worked "for the thrill and excitement" and that she and her young husband received very little money, it was revealed today that they got lavish expense money and salaries. Mrs Switz, for instance, received 90.000 francs Currently $5,040) officials said.
 When today's trial ended, with freedom for the SwitZes and sen tcnces ranging from three years to five years for others. including two young mothers, the Americans were returned to the damp. grim prison where they have been secluded for more than year, to pack their be- longings.
 we are going to rest some- where" said Mrs SwitZ. But we have no plans now"
 Doth Found Guilty
 Both were found guilty at the final hearing today in the 13th cor rectional court, but their 16 months in prison. the judges held, covered the sentences they should serve.
 It was expected that both would be expelled from the country at once.
 They had been in prison since Christmas time, 1883, when agents of the French Surete Generale. Tn a series of raids that startled Paris, arrested the first of the fanciful gang whose spy activities had been watched for months.
 At first they had denied their guilt. Little by little. after per sistent cross examination by a mag istrate under the French judicial system, they broke down.
 Their revelations brought more arrests, until some 30 persons. men and women of many nations, were held as accomplices with them in a plot stranger than fiction.
 Not Going To U. s.
 It was understood that while the Switzes are not likely to be allowed to remain in France, they probably will not go directly to the United States.
 Mrs Switz heard the verdict while seated. instead of standing at the bar as is usual in criminal cases. She had lost much of the nervousness she had manifested earlier.
 There was considerable weeping In the courtroom when sentence was passed on the other defend- ants. The two women who gave birth to babies In prison were sen- tenced to three years each.
 one was the young school teacher, Madeleine Mermet. who held her year-old baby In her arms all dur.